(Minghui.org) Ms. Chang Haihua, a 61-year-old Falun Gong practitioner, was sentenced to four years in prison. Her family has vowed to fight the unjust sentence until her persecutors are brought to justice.
Arrested for Filing Lawsuit against Former Dictator
On the evening of August 8, 2015, about 13 police officers from the Xinzhou City Police Bureau went to Ms. Chang's home to arrest her for filing a complaint against former Chinese President Jiang Zemin.
That same day, more than 60 other practitioners living in Xinfu District, Xinzhou City were arrested.
Tried without Legal Counsel
Ms. Chang was tried on December 24, 2015 by the Xinfu District Court without her defense attorney present. No verdict was given during the hearing.
Her family hired a lawyer on March 13 to negotiate with the court. However, judge Lv Xiuli said the lawyer was too late for him to review Ms. Chang’s case.
On March 29, 2016, Ms. Chang received a verdict at the Xinfu District Detention Center. She had been sentenced to four years in prison.
Practitioner Appeals, Lawyer Stonewalled
Ms. Chang immediately appealed to a higher court.
Her attorney then asked officials at the detention center to meet with his defendant. The center’s deputy superintendent said, “We have been given orders from higher authorities that no meeting is allowed.”
The attorney asked to review Ms. Chang's file, but again, he met with obstructions. At the time, her file had been transferred to the Xinzhou City Intermediate Court. Judge Lang Liying prevented the lawyer from reviewing the file.
After several rounds of negotiation, the lawyer was finally given access to the file. He reviewed it and found that the materials used for her trial and sentencing were illegal. He requested the intermediate court to schedule a second trial.
Meanwhile, Ms. Chang's family filed complaints against the police officers for the illegal ransacking of Ms. Chang’s home and their surveillance of the family.
Original Sentence Upheld without Appeal Hearing
Two weeks later, Judge Lang said no trial would be held, but didn't provide a reason.
The family was not told of the judge’s decision, and on May 23 Ms. Chang's family went to the court to ask Lang how the case was proceeding. Lang replied, “No result yet.”
The same day Ms. Chang received notice that her original sentence was unchanged. Her lawyer had not been informed and at that point knew nothing about the court decision.
On May 24, Ms. Chang called her family from the detention center. She said that she wanted to meet with them, as she would be sent to the Yuci Women's Prison the next day.
Ms. Chang and her family will continue to appeal the case and fight the unjust sentence until the persecutors are brought to justice.
Partial list of Persecutors
Xinzhou City Intermediate Court:Han Gen, president: +86-350-3032641, +86-15135026666Zhao Min, vice president: +86-350-3025522, +86-13994131608Wang Xinsheng, vice president: +86-350-3020123, +86-13603506468Zhang Shulin, vice president: +86-350-3020336, 86-13935076918Ding Guohua, vice president: +86-350-3042810, 86-13994131696
Case Filing CourtYan Jianrong, Chief Judge: +86-350-3033105
Criminal Tribunal 1Li Shuangqing, Chief Judge: +86-350-3033682, +86-15835660055
Criminal Tribunal 2Peng Sujun, Chief Judge: +86-350-3032901, +86-13603502808
Criminal Tribunal 3Hao Jianfeng, Chief Judge: +86-350-3022213, +86-13994131732
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 in 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 allows for citizens to be plaintiffs in criminal cases, and many practitioners are now exercising that right to file criminal complaints against the former dictator.
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