(Minghui.org) Ms. Yu Yeyi (余业顗), a Chongqing Falun Gong practitioner in her 70s, was tried by Yuzhong District Court for distributing Shen Yun DVDs on January 14, 2015.
Ms. Yu pleaded not guilty. Ms. Yu said that Shen Yun performances revive traditional Chinese culture and she didn't commit any crime for distributing the DVDs. She went on to explain how she had benefited from practicing Falun Gong and for this she has been persecuted for 15 years. Both Ms. Yu and her family lived under tremendous pressure.
The trial lasted an hour and the judge adjourned it without announcing a verdict.
Ms. Yu was arrested on June 22, 2014 on the street while distributing Shen Yun DVDs. She was detained at Liudianzi Detention Center for two weeks and then transferred by the police and residential committee staff to Qianzhugou Brainwashing Center.
The head of the brainwashing center named Wang threatened her: “If you don't give up practicing Falun Gong, we will arrest your 84-year-old husband and your son from abroad.”
Under tremendous pressure, Ms. Yu suffered from several convulsions and developed high blood pressure. The doctor diagnosed her with a heart problem and Parkinson's disease. Yet Wang claimed Ms. Yu was pretending to be ill.
Ms. Yu was detained at the brainwashing center for a month and a half and released on August 19, 2014.
Police Issue Indictment Before Investigation
On the second day after her release from the brainwashing center, however, the police visited her at home and handed her an indictment.
On the third day, four officers from Yuzhong District Domestic Security Division took Ms. Yu and her husband to the Shapingba Police Station.
At the police station, the police overrode the brainwashing center's decision to release her unconditionally as a result of her poor health, and reclassified her case as “released on bail.” They also made her husband monitor her at home.
On October 21, officer Huang from Yuzhong District Police Department called Ms. Yu and told her that they had finished investigating her case and would submit it to the procuratorate.
Ms. Yu asked Huang what crime she had committed. Huang said she violated Article 300 of China's Criminal Code: “Using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement,” a common tactic used against Falun Gong practitioners.
Ms. Yu said to Huang, “I was arrested for distributing DVDs of Shen Yun Performing Arts. How did I undermine law enforcement by distributing DVDs of a performance about Chinese culture?”
Huang cut her off, said the procuratorate would provide an answer for her, and abruptly hung up.
On December 31, 2014, Ms. Yu received a court notice about the trial.
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