(Minghui.org) Three Falun Gong practitioners were sentenced to prison by the Wusu City Court in Xinjiang after two trials, during which their attorneys were not present.
All three practitioners appealed to the higher court. The attorneys also filed complaints with the court president and other authorities.
The illegally sentencing took place on December 25, 2014. Ms. Ma Chengying was sentenced to six years in prison; Mr. Yang Wanjun was sentenced to five years; Mr. Zhang Chengjun to three and a half years. All three practitioners have made appeals to the Tacheng Prefecture Intermediate Court regarding their sentences.
The Wusu City Court secretly tried these practitioners on June 28, 2014, without notifying their attorneys. The attorneys filed charges against the illegal action of the court. The Tacheng Prefecture Intermediate Court reversed the original judgment in September and returned the case for retrial.
The Wusu City Court tried the practitioners again on November 25. Ms. Ma's attorney asked for the withdrawal of the procurator.
Presiding Judge Yu Ping did not know about the withdrawal process, so he asked the attorney, “Can an attorney apply for a withdrawal?”
The attorney explained that according to Article 31 of the amended Code of Criminal Procedure, attorneys have the right to demand a withdrawal.
However, the chief procurator rejected the application for withdrawal. Therefore, the attorney asked for a review of the decision, and the judge adjourned the trial as the review first requires discussion by the procuratorial committee.
Next Trial Date Set Despite Attorney's Objection
The presiding judge proposed to have the next trial set for November 28. Ms. Ma's attorney replied that he is not available as he has another trial on that date. The attorney asked to reschedule the trial.
The judge denied his request and told the court clerk to send the notice of trial to all four attorneys. “It doesn't matter whether you come or not,” he said to the attorney. “We've already sent out the notice.” All four attorneys refused to sign for the acceptance of notices.
The three attorneys wrote a complaint letter the next day and sent copies to the president of the Wusu City Court, the Justice Bureau, and the Report Center of the Supreme Court.
The Wusu City Court then tried the three practitioners on November 28 without the presence of any attorneys. The practitioners defended themselves; however, the bailiff seized Ms. Ma's statement of defense under the order of the judge.
Party involved in the persecution of these Falun Gong practitioners:
Yu Ping (于平), presiding judge of the Wusu City Court: +86-992-8538090, +86-13289926888 (Cell), +86-18699225777
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