(Minghui.org) Attorney Wang Yu met with her client Ms. Zhang Haixia (张海霞) twice in a 12 day period. Her client's situation had noticeably worsened by the time of her most recent visit, which occurred on December 23. (Related article)
The attorney informed Ms. Zhang's family about her condition: “I'm really worried about her now. She didn't recognize me. Her eyes are dull. She looks tired. And she told me that she had been diagnosed with some heart problem.”
While with Ms. Zhang, a Falun Gong practitioner, the attorney refreshed Ms. Zhang's memory about her arrest. Ms. Zhang and her non-practitioner husband Mr. Wen Yingzhou were arrested on June 18, 2014, for having a satellite dish at home to watch NTDTV programs, an uncensored Chinese-language news network based in the U.S.
She also reminded Ms. Zhang that she had been repeatedly drugged in the detention center and that this was why she was experiencing severe memory loss.
The attorney told Ms. Zhang that she is appealing her case and that she needed Ms. Zhang to try her best to tell her story to the judge.
“Sure, I will do that. I hope they don't drug me anymore, otherwise I will forget everything again,” Ms. Zhang said.
Ms. Zhang Haixia, a once radiant and energetic woman, now suffers from severe memory loss after being drugged repeatedly following her arrest in June.
Harbin No.2 Detention Center, where Ms. Zhang Haixia is being held.
Attorney Wang found her client's arms covered with needle marks when she visited her on December 11, confirming her family's suspicions that she was being drugged in the detention center.
Ms. Zhang began to show signs of memory loss during the trial on October 10, 2014. When the lawyer visited her in December, her memory loss had deteriorated to the point that she couldn't remember what her husband or daughter looked like, and couldn't recognize Ms. Wang as her attorney.
Lawyer's Appeal Faces Obstruction from the Court and Procuratorate
Attorney Wang and Ms. Zhang's daughter, Wen Bo, went to the Intermediate Court in Xiangfang District in the afternoon on December 23 to review her client's case documents. The bailiffs insisted they go through security checks, even though attorneys are not normally required to undergo such searches in Chinese courthouses.
The Intermediate Court in Xiangfang District
Ms. Wang reminded the bailiffs that lawyers are exempt from such security checks under Chinese law. The bailiffs retorted, “We follow instructions from higher-up,” and made it clear that all lawyers representing Falun Gong practitioners were given the same runaround.
Ms. Wang called Judge Xuan Jian and complained to him about the illegal security checks. “I'm not in charge of that,” was his response.
Getting no help at the court, the lawyer went to the procuratorate to file a complaint because courthouse authorities were intentionally interfering with her ability to carry out her duties on behalf of her client.
“We are not in charge of this,” the prosecutor on site told the lawyer after she stated the court's violation of procedure.
The prosecutor who received the lawyer on December 23, 2014.
The daughter, Wen Bo, complained to the prosecutor that the judge refused to give her written verdicts for her parents.
“If the judge doesn't give you the verdict, you need to ask him, not us. Where does it say we have to give you the verdict?” The prosecutor continued rudely, “If your mom's health isn't good, you need to talk to the detention center. It's not our business. ”
After refusing to deal with the lawyer's and daughter's complaints, the prosecutor abruptly excused himself.
Related report:Harbin Woman Repeatedly Drugged Before Trial
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Category: Torture of Women
