(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Zhang Jinsheng was tried by the Gucheng County Court in Hengshui City, Hebei Province, on March 4, 2016, after he was illegally detained for 6 months.
After being given the right to avoid the trial by the judge, Mr. Zhang's attorney announced that his client would indeed exercise the right of avoidance. The judge adjourned the trial.
Mr. Zhang's 12 family members went to the court to monitor the court proceedings. The police officers first allowed 5 members of the family to attend. Mr. Zhang's attorney argued that it is illegal not to allow the family members to attend the trial. Finally, 10 family members were allowed to sit in the court room.
The judge announced the court rules and the rights of the defendant. When the judge announced the right of avoidance, he asked the attorney whether the defendant wanted to exercise this right. The attorney answered, “The defendant wants to exercise his right of avoidance.” Then he explained the reasons. The judge whispered with other officials for a while and announced that the trial was adjourned, without addressing the issue any further.
Plainclothes officers photographed Mr. Zhang's family members with cell phones after they left the court house, so the family members turned around and video-recorded the plainclothes officers with their own phones. The officers left immediately.
Mr. Zhang started practicing Falun Gong since 1997. He was illegally arrested and his home was ransacked on August 21, 2015, for practicing Falun Gong. He had been illegally detained for six months before the trial. In addition, he was sentenced to forced labor for one-and-a-half years in 2001 and three years in 2005 for practicing Falun Gong.