(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Ye Rongsheng, 64, is from Hepu Village in Puning City, Guangdong Province. He was arrested for trying to help another practitioner, Mr. Peng Hui, from being taken away by plainclothes officers on January 10, 2017.
He was tried in Puning City Court on May 26, 2017, and charged with “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement,” a standard pretext used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to arrest and imprison Falun Gong practitioners.
The evidence presented against him included fingerprints collected from a motorcycle helmet, data provided by a mobile phone company, and Falun Gong books and video recordings confiscated by the police.
In his defense, Mr. Ye pointed out that Article 300 of the Criminal Law did not pertain to Falun Gong cases, since practicing Falun Gong was legal in China.
Although the judge interfered several times, Mr. Ye completed his statement. The judge also tried to interrupt the lawyer's closing remarks.
The lawyer entered a not-guilty plea on his client’s behalf and demanded his immediate release. The lawyer argued that:
1. The prosecutor's “evidence” was fabricated, that it was the Ministry of Public Security that had violated the law.2. Falun Gong is a matter of personal belief, which is protected by the Chinese Constitution.3. Mr. Ye's case did not meet the requirements to be considered a “crime,” so the prosecutor should not have charged him, that Mr. Ye's practice of Falun Gong did not cause any harm and has never undermined law enforcement.
The trial, which lasted about two hours, ended without a verdict.
Police officers from the Jieyang City State Security Division, the Puning City State Security Division, and the Liaoyuan Police Station were involved in the persecution of Mr. Ye.
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