(Minghui.org) The Wuzhong City Intermediate Court announced its decision, on August 15, 2014, to uphold the lower court's four-year-sentence of Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Luo Xinpin.
Ms. Luo was tried in Litong District Court in May, and sentenced in July. She then appealed to the intermediate court.
In her own defense at the trial, Ms. Luo explained that freedom of belief was a constitutional right, and telling people about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners was simply exercising that right. The presiding judge interrupted her.
Her attorney pointed out there was no legal basis for the persecution of Falun Gong, and that the prosecutor was attempting to charge Ms. Luo on the grounds that she had been sentenced before for handing out Falun Gong materials.
Ms. Luo’s husband, Mr. Wang Xiangchen, applied to defend his wife, but the judge rejected his application with no explanation.
Ms. Luo’s defense lawyer questioned the validity of the evidence presented by police. He said, “My client didn't confess anything, nor did she sign an interrogation record. Yet the police presented a 'signed confession' as evidence. In addition, the testimonies from the witnesses were contradictory.”
“The evidence doesn't have to be consistent,” the prosecutor argued.
The prosecutor asked Ms. Luo misleading questions with the presumption of guilt. She was only allowed to answer “yes” or “no.”
Seeing that the trial was being conducted in a biased manner, her husband protested. The judge ordered four bailiffs to escort him out of the courtroom.
In his closing statement, the prosecutor accused Ms. Luo of practicing Falun Gong and spreading information about it. When her lawyer started to give his rebuttal, the presiding judge, Ai Jinchun, stopped him and adjourned the trial.
Ms. Luo Xinping, 60, was initially arrested on February 16, 2013, for distributing Falun Gong materials. She was later released on medical parole due to poor health.
Ms. Luo and her husband were arrested again on March 25, 2014, while distributing anti-censorship software. Ms. Luo was released the next day due to high blood pressure. Her husband was detained for 21 days.
The Litong District Court in Wuzhong City initially tried Ms. Luo on May 16, 2014. The judge asked only a few questions to verify her identity, and then adjourned the proceedings. The court handed down a four-year prison sentence on July 4.
Ms. Luo Xinping is currently detained in the Yinchuan Women's Prison.
The Wuzhong City Intermediate Court has a history of illegally sentencing Falun Gong practitioners. Prior to Ms. Luo, judge Ai Jinchun sentenced practitioners Mr. Ma Xiongde to seven and a half years, Ms. Zheng Fengying to seven years, Ms. Mo Huiping to four years, and Mr. Ma Zhiwu to three and a half years.
Perpetrators' Contact Information:Wuzhong City Intermediate Court: +86-953-2272298Chen Dawei (陈大威), president of the court: +86-953-2271962 (Office), +86-15909638888 (Mobile)Yang Yangang (杨岩刚), vice president of the court: +86-953-2134002 (Office), +86-18995361333 (Mobile)Ai Jinchun (艾进春), presiding judge: +86-953-2134036 (Office), +86-18995339880 (Mobile)Tian Jinxian (田进贤), judge: +86-953-2134039 (Office)(More perpetrator contact information is available in the original Chinese article.)
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