(Minghui.org) Seven Falun Gong practitioners from Lanxi County, Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province, were hastily summoned to stand trial on June 13, 2017, and sentenced to prison on June 26.
Mr. Huang Licheng was sentenced to 3½ years in prison and fined 5,000 yuan. The other six practitioners were given six-month sentences, which were suspended for one-year, and fined 1000 yuan.
Mr. Huang filed an appeal with the Suihua City Intermediate Court.
Eight Falun Gong practitioners were reported to the police and arrested by Changjiang Town Police Station officers for handing out Falun Gong pamphlets in Changjiang Town on January 5, 2017.
Mr. Huang Licheng was illegally detained in the Lanxi County Detention Center, while the other seven were let out on bail pending trial. The seven were then repeatedly summoned to the police department for interrogation. Practitioner Zhang Yajie stopped cooperating with the police while this was going on.
Shi Xiaodong, director of the Lanxi County Procuratorate, officially indicted the practitioners in the Lanxi Country Court on April 10, 2017.
Mr. Huang Licheng's family hired an attorney to defend Mr. Huang. In order to prevent the attorneys from defending the practitioners, the court hastily summoned seven of the practitioners to trial on the morning of June 13, 2017. Mr. Zhang Yajie was not summoned.
Mr. Huang's attorney was not notified in advance and was therefore unable to be present at the trial with his client. Mr. Huang's family immediately drafted a petition to delay the trial, but the court officials never responded. The family also asked why the court and judge did not notify them in advance according to the law. Judge Yang Haitao responded, “It is not our responsibility.”
Mr. Huang pleaded not guilty during the trial and was forced to defend himself. He was constantly interrupted by the court officials. The prosecutor motioned to sentence all seven practitioners to one year in prison. The judge said the verdict would be announced in 10 days.
The practitioners were summoned to court for the announcement of the verdict without the presence of their attorneys on June 26, 2017.
Mr. Huang Licheng's attorney was visiting Mr. Huang in the detention center and ready to accompany his client to court. However, the court officials did not permit Mr. Huang nor his attorney to appear in court. The judge asked who had notified his attorney.
Parties involved in persecuting the practitioners:Zhang Wenquan (张文泉), judge, Suihua City Intermediate Court: +86-455-8316869Yang Haitao (杨海涛), judge, Lanxi County Court: +86-18697082853Yang Zhifeng (杨志峰), judge, Lanxi County Court: +86-13089937000Shi Xiaodong (史晓东), director, prosecution office of Lanxi County Procuratorate: +86-13284052222, +86-15344557755
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