(Minghui.org) I started to pay close attention to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) laws when I began practicing Falun Dafa, so as to know our rights under the Chinese Constitution and the law.
I had no prior knowledge of legal terms or provisions of the law, and intended to embark on what would be quite a challenge, but I believe that it was my responsibility as a Dafa practitioner.
I began my research and downloaded all relevant documents to study.
Some Falun Dafa practitioners did not agreed with my decision as I was not in the law profession and they thought that I would waste a lot of time learning from scratch. But I weighed what I was doing against the Fa, trusting Master’s arrangements, and decided that I must walk well the path I believed Master has laid for me in my cultivation. Eventually, I did get some support from practitioners.
Helping Family Members of Detained Practitioners Understand about Dafa
When Falun Dafa practitioners are illegally arrested and detained, we contact their family members as soon as possible to help get their loved ones released. We also approach the police to let them know about the goodness of Dafa and the unjust persecution.
During our contacts with family members, we've come to realize that many of them have been deceived by the CCP’s lies and propaganda, and believed that since Falun Dafa is condemned as an “evil cult”, anyone who practices Falun Dafa is a criminal.
We let the family members know that Falun Dafa practitioners are being unjustly targeted by the CCP, and that the authorities are committing crimes by arresting practitioners.
We show them photos of how Falun Dafa is embraced around the world, and we provide investigative reports about the CCP's live organ harvesting of imprisoned Falun Dafa practitioners.
As a result of gaining a better of understanding of Dafa and the persecution, many of the family members became active participants in our rescue efforts.
Prison Rules Violate the Law
When family members try to visit detained practitioners, the guards usually ask if they also practice Falun Dafa. Sometimes, the guards tell them that they must obtain a letter from their local police station to certify that they are not practitioners before they are allowed visitation rights.
One time, five of us went to visit a fellow practitioner in prison. Only two were allowed in the building, but were kicked out immediately when the guards found out that they were practitioners.
The guard in charge then turned her attention to the three of us outside, and questioned if we were also practitioners
I asked her, “Why do you ask? Who gives you the right?”
“This is the rule of this prison,” she replied.
I looked at her straight in the eyes, and said calmly, “Your prison rules violate the Constitution and the law. Whoever made up this rule will be held legally responsible. Whoever follows this rule will also be held accountable.”
The guard stared at me, then turned and left. She returned shortly after to announce that one of us could go in.
Assisting a Lawyer to Meet a Detained Practitioner
A lawyer traveled a great distance to see a detained practitioner so that he could obtain the practitioner’s signature as part of the legal procedure. However, he was denied entrance due to a “technical error.”
He was rather anxious, as failing to see the practitioner meant that he could not obtain the necessary signature and his long trip would be in vain. Moreover, he could not return the following day as he had other cases to take care of.
I offered a solution, and said, “Why don’t you go back to the detention center and request that the guard give the document to the practitioner to sign.” The lawyer perked up as I showed him a signed document we already had. “See, even relatives of the practitioner have successfully made the same request. You are their lawyer, so there definitely should not be a problem.”
When we got to the detention center and put in our request, the guard said, “I’m not going to be your gofer. I’ll get the prisoner. You can talk to her directly yourselves.”
The turnaround was amazing.
Rightfully Attending a Court Hearing
Whenever Dafa practitioners are to appear in court, the hallway for the security check is usually lined with special police and those in plainclothes, and the proceedings are all videotaped. It really is a means to intimidate friends and relatives who want to attend the proceedings.
One time, the police removed all markings from their uniforms so that we could not identify them. They put us through a security check, searched us, recorded our personal information, took our photos, and subjected us to a series of questions.
When it was my turn, I asked them directly, “Why do I have to answer all your questions? Attending an open court session is a citizen’s right. What you are doing is against the law. I will sue you. Please provide me with your names and ranks.”
“We are just following orders,” an officer replied.
I replied, “Chapter 9 Article 54 of the Civil Service Law stipulates that a civil servant who executes a wrongful order from his supervisor is nonetheless held legally responsible.”
I continued, “What is your superior’s name and rank. He has violated the provisions of our Constitution and the law. I will have to bring a lawsuit against your supervisor as well.”
The police tried to dodge my questions and other people who had gathered around joined in to condemn the illegal behavior of the police.
As a result, 20 relatives and friends were allowed to attend the court hearing.
Needing to Learn More about the Law
When practitioners are sent through the court system, most are able to maintain strong righteous thoughts and utilize the opportunity to let people know about Dafa.
However, I became anxious when I realized that many practitioners’ families could not afford to hire a defense lawyer, so I thought about getting involved.
Family members of two female practitioners hired two local lawyers on November 8, 2008, and somehow I became part of the defense team.
In court, I stressed before the judge, “Practicing Falun Dafa is not against the law. The two detained practitioners are good people. They should be promptly released unconditionally…”
Before I could finish my statement, the judge interrupted me, saying that my defense had nothing to do with the case. The judge even sneered at me, saying, “Go home and spend some time to study the law well.”
I reflected on the shortfall of my court experience and came to the following understandings.
First, my righteous thoughts were not sufficient enough to have risen to the level of suppressing the old forces. Second, my basic premise was incorrect, as my goal was to rescue fellow practitioners and not to save the police or the legal personnel. I had also been nurturing resentment towards the police. Third, my knowledge of the law was still lacking, and far from adequate.
I felt that the judge’s derogatory comment was actually Master’s hint, so I continued to study the law and adjust my mindset.
Pursuing an Appeal
One time, two practitioners were found guilty by the court so we decided to request a second trial, but were at a loss on how to proceed.
Through diligent Fa study, Master opened our wisdom. We found out that for appeals filed by families and relatives to be effective, they must have pre-approval bearing the defendant’s signature.
So, we first submitted an appeal to the intermediate court. Then we went to the prison with the related documents to request a meeting with the imprisoned practitioner so that they could sign the papers.
That very much surprised the prison guard, who told us, “We’ve never had this happen before. This has always been done by a lawyer, and is especially so for Falun Dafa cases.”
We held firm in our righteous thoughts and said, “We are doing everything in accordance with the law. The signature is required by the court.”
We argued our point until the guard had no choice but to seek advice from their superiors. A compromise was finally made, and the family members were able to meet with the imprisoned practitioner.
Raising Awareness of Suing Jiang Zemin
When many practitioners in our area had successfully submitted their criminal complaints against Jiang Zemin, the former head of the CCP, for initiating the persecution of Falun Dafa, I met with other practitioners to discuss our next move and how to let more people know about bringing Jiang to justice.
I wanted to encourage detained practitioners' family members to join in the efforts to sue Jiang. I also wanted to mail or hand deliver copies of the criminal complaints to the Public Security Bureau, to make them aware of so many people suing Jiang.
I organized for more than 20 pieces of evidence of Jiang’s unjust persecution to be added to our criminal complaints and be widely distributed so that people in our communities would also learn about suing Jiang.
When I wanted to submit evidence of people suing Jiang to the local police department and other government departments, many practitioners didn't want to cooperate, so I continued to proceed quietly and alone because I believe that what I was doing was in accordance with the Fa.
To date, I have already hand delivered or direct mailed 20 packages to the local government departments, police stations, courts, and other government agencies.
I am receiving a whole host of feedback, from some people still refusing to believe that organ harvesting of Falun Dafa practitioners is happening, to some who want to have me arrested, while others express deep regret mingled with feelings of powerlessness, and some seek forgiveness.
Master said:
“I heard that, in some places, practitioners have come out to do the exercises. Some students go to detention centers, police bureaus, and government offices to clarify the truth—they are even doing very well.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2016 New York Fa Conference”)
These words have given me encouragement.
I am determined to heed what Master says and keep going forward in my cultivation and efforts to save more people.
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