(Minghui.org) A farmer from Heilongjiang Province was recently tried for suing Jiang Zemin and holding the former Chinese dictator responsible for launching the persecution of Falun Gong.
Mr. Yang Yuntao's family was relieved to learn from the defense arguments that he had broken no laws. Mr. Yang had exercised his constitutional right to seek justice against Jiang for infringing upon his freedom of belief.
The family was disappointed to hear that the prosecutor recommended a sentence of three to five years, even though he failed to prove the allegations.
They initiated a petition for Mr. Yang’s acquittal and immediate release. A total of 208 villagers signed their names on the petition.
Farmer Arrested
Mr. Yang, 65, is a farmer from Huanan County, Heilongjiang. He was arrested on November 9, 2015, and released on bail ten days later for health reasons.
He was arrested again on February 24. The Huanan County Procuratorate approved his arrest and submitted his case for trial. The Huanan County Court scheduled his trial for April 5, 2016.
Mr. Yang's family hired two lawyers from Beijing one day before the trial. The lawyers arrived at the court the next morning before the hearing began. They requested a delay to have more time to review the case. The judge agreed to reschedule the trial to April 18.
Lawyers Rebut Charges
Numerous local judicial officials and police officers were present to witness the trial.
The prosecutor accused Mr. Yang of mailing out Falun Gong materials to others and possessing Falun Gong books and related DVDs, but failed to present any evidence.
Defense lawyer Lan stated that there was no case, since there is no law that criminalizes Falun Gong, and Mr. Yang should never have been prosecuted for exercising his constitutional right to freedom of belief. Mr. Lan also stated that the items seized from him were his lawful possessions that caused no harm to anyone.
Another defense lawyer, Mr. Wang, presented a written statement by Mr. Yang. It stated that Mr. Yang had regained his health through Falun Gong practice, but was forced to stop the practice after the persecution began. As a result, his illnesses returned. He resumed Falun Gong practice in 2004.
Mr. Wang argued that it was Mr. Yang's legal right to seek justice against Jiang Zemin for infringing upon his freedom of belief.
The court was adjourned without any verdict having been reached.
Background
In 1999, Jiang Zemin, as head of the Chinese Communist Party, overrode other Politburo standing committee members and launched the violent suppression of Falun Gong.
The persecution has led to the deaths of many Falun Gong practitioners over the past 16 years. More have been tortured for their belief and even killed for their organs. Jiang Zemin is directly responsible for the inception and continuation of the brutal persecution.
Under his personal direction, the Chinese Communist Party established an extralegal security organ, the “610 Office,” on June 10, 1999. The organization overrides police forces and the judicial system in carrying out Jiang's directive regarding Falun Gong: to ruin their reputations, cut off their financial resources, and destroy them physically.
Chinese law now allows for citizens to be plaintiffs in criminal cases, and many practitioners are exercising that right to file criminal complaints against the former dictator.
Related article in Chinese:http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2016/5/3/老实农民被非法庭审-村民签名要求释放-327483.html
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