(Minghui.org) Pan Shuqin, deputy chief judge of Fengcheng City Court, has closely followed the Chinese Communist Party in persecuting Falun Gong since 1999. In the past 12 years in particular, Pan has sent a total of 35 local residents to prison for their belief in this peaceful self-cultivation system.
Most recently Pan scheduled back-to-back trials of two women, charging both with “using a cult to sabotage the enforcement of law,” a typical accusation widely used by the CCP to frame and sentence Falun Gong practitioners.
Ms. Jiang Fengli (姜凤丽) and Ms. Lu Jun (卢俊) defended their constitutional right to practice and spread information about Falun Gong at their trials. Their lawyers from Beijing pleaded not guilty on their behalf and offered rebuttals to their clients' charges. They made it clear that the People's Congress (China's law-making body) has never passed any law banning Falun Gong or designating it as a cult. As such, the persecution of Falun Gong has been illegal from the very beginning.
One lawyer summed up the groundless persecution: “The persecution, including this illegal trial, is harming people and wasting the public's money.”
Unable to refute the lawyers' defense arguments, Pan adjourned both trials without issuing a verdict.
Judge Reprimands Lawyer: 'Don't Lecture Me about Your Conscience!'
Ms. Jiang was arrested on September 7, 2014, after she offered a copy of anti-firewall software to a deputy police chief who was moonlighting as a taxi driver. Zhang Pingxian of the Baoshan Police Station immediately called his officers to get Ms. Jiang. The police searched her house and confiscated her Falun Gong books, a portrait of Master Li Hongzhi, and copies of Minghui Weekly.
Around 100 people came to observe the trial of Ms. Jiang on December 4. The public gallery in the courtroom was filled to capacity, with some people standing at the back or in the corridor. A number of police and six or seven agents from the 610 Office were also present.
Ms. Jiang gave an opening statement in her defense. “I used to suffer from poor health, but recovered completely shortly after I started practicing Falun Gong,” she said.
“My moral standards were raised. Now I really enjoy helping others and I get on very well with all my neighbors. I've personally experienced the wonderfulness of Falun Dafa. The practice has now spread to over 100 countries. China is the only country where practicing Falun Gong is not allowed.”
Her defense lawyer added, “My client is an ordinary country woman with little education, but every word she said is true. She only wants to share her happiness from practicing Falun Gong with others. How can this be a crime?
“My client's family fell apart because of the persecution. She was lonely and helpless, and it was her faith in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance that pulled her through. Yet you want to take away her source of spiritual support!
“You demonize good people and imprison them. This is what happened during the Cultural Revolution. It's absolutely absurd.”
Judge Pan repeatedly interrupted the lawyer as he argued that practicing Falun Gong broke no law.
“I was hired by my client and I have a legal obligation to represent her. As a lawyer, I must speak the truth and act on my conscience,” the lawyer said.
Furious, Judge Pan shot back, “Don't lecture me about your conscience!”
Spectators Applaud Defense
The lawyer then made his final arguments for the defense.
“Falun Gong's principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are universal values that are widely embraced in over 100 countries worldwide. In China, however, the practice has been persecuted for 15 years, and the entire government, the entire legal system, and hundreds of millions of people have been drawn into this persecution, which has wasted enormous amounts of public funds and manpower. The persecution, including this trial, is harming people and wasting the public's money!
“Falun Gong practitioners have paid a heavy price during the last 15 years of persecution; so many innocent people were sentenced to forced labor and imprisonment!
“We who work in the legal profession should regard our conscience as the highest requirement when we defend the law. We must end this persecution. This is the only way that we can save our country. It is the hope of our nation!”
The lawyer's defense won loud applause from people in the gallery.
Judge Remains Silent at Trial of Second Woman
Ms. Lu, in her 50s, was tricked into going to the local police station and illegally detained on July 2, 2014. The police took her house key and searched her home, taking away her computer, printer, Falun Gong books, and other personal belongings. They also confiscated the computer in her daughter's house nearby.
Her daughter later received a “Warrant of Detention” and a subsequent “Warrant of Arrest” concerning her mother. Neither document had the required signature, just the seal of Fengcheng City Police Department.
The prosecutor accused Ms. Lu of posting over 90 Falun Gong articles in QQ Zone, a social network.
The defense lawyer argued that his client only posted 13 Falun Gong related articles and, even if his client had posted them, she broke no law, because China's Constitution protects a citizen's right to freedom of speech and freedom of publication.
He pointed out that possessing a computer, printer, and books and having access to the Internet is not a crime, and therefore his client should be cleared of all charges.
Judge Pan largely remained silent throughout the second trial. She adjourned the proceedings with no verdict after about an hour.
Main Parties Involved in the Persecution of Ms. Jiang and Ms. Lu:
Fengcheng Political and legal Affairs Committee:Ding Wenbo (丁文波), secretary: +86-415-8144951 (Office), +86-15841502111 (Cell)Li Hongquan (李洪泉), deputy secretary: +86-415-8122826 (Office), +86-13591529336, 13941595008 (Cell), +86-415-8126046 (Home)Hua Jiqiang (花吉强), director of the 610 Office: +86-415-8158680 (Office), +86-13841562633 (Cell)
Fengcheng City Criminal Court:Pan Shuqin (潘淑琴), deputy chief judge: +86-415-2277672Ji Longbin (季龙斌), acting judge: +86-415-2277710
Prosecution Section of Fengcheng City Procuratorate:Tang Jinfeng (唐金凤), Guang Kunyu (关坤玉): +86-415-6276231Zhao Yunshuang (赵运双): +86-13354159997 (Cell), +86-415-8125008 (Home), +86-415-6276217 (Office)
Fengcheng Police Department:Wang Erlie (王尔烈), party secretary/head: +86-415-8138938 (Office), +86-13941585363 (Cell)Chen Bin (陈斌), instructor of the Domestic Security Division: +86-13941595556 (Cell)
Baoshan Police Station:Zhai Shuzhen (翟树镇), head: +86-415-8901007 (Office), +86-13941502210 (Office), +86-0415-8142877 (Home)Zhang Pingxian (张平先), deputy head: +86-0415-8900559 (Office), +86-13125590666, 13898502818 (Cell)
Tongyuanbao Police Station:Chen Lixin(陈利新), head: +86-415-8511012 (Office), +86-13941524995 (Cell), +86-415-8143398 (Home)
Internet Division of Dandong Police Department:Li Qiang (李强), division leader: +86-13842515006
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