66 Falun Gong Cases Returned in Second Half of 2017, Resulting in Release of 22 Practitioners

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66 Falun Gong Cases Returned in Second Half of 2017, Resulting in Release of 22 Practitioners

Jan. 12, 2018 | By a Minghui correspondent in China

(Minghui.org) According to information compiled by Minghui.org, a total of 66 Falun Gong practitioners had their cases returned in the second half of 2017, resulting in the release of 22 of them.

These practitioners were arrested because they refused to renounce Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime. Their cases were returned at various stages of the prosecution process.

In China, police are responsible for making arrests and forwarding cases to the Procuratorate, which is authorized to issue formal arrest warrants and file indictments. Trial courts are tasked with holding trials and issuing verdicts. Appeals courts review cases and decide whether to uphold or revoke the original sentences.

Forty-seven (47) practitioners had their cases returned to police by the Procuratorate. Among them are:

- 9 practitioners who were released after their local Procuratorates declined to issue formal arrest warrants or indictments, or withdrew already-issued indictments;

- 23 practitioners whose cases were resubmitted to the Procuratorate (11 were indicted and awaiting trial, 4 had been tried and were awaiting verdicts, and 8 were sentenced to prison); and

- 15 practitioners whose current prosecution status remains to be investigated.

Another 16 practitioners had their cases returned to Procuratorates by trial courts, including:

- 13 practitioners who were released after courts approved Procuratorates’ requests to withdraw indictments;

- 1 practitioner whose local court returned the case after the first hearing but held a second hearing after the Procuratorate resubmitted the case;

- 1 practitioner who was still sentenced after the local court returned the case to the Procuratorate following the first hearing;

- 1 practitioner whose whereabouts remains unknown after the local court approved the Procuratorate’s request to withdraw his indictment.

An additional three (3) practitioners were sentenced to prison, but their local appeals courts revoked the guilty verdicts and returned the cases to lower courts for retrial.

The remainder of the report presents a full list of the 66 returned cases in the following order:

- 2 Released After Procuratorates Decline to Issue Arrest Warrants

- 1 Released After Procuratorate Declines to File Indictment

- 5 Released After Procuratorates Withdraw Indictments

- 1 Released After Trial Court Rescinds Conviction

- 13 Released after Courts Approve Procuratorates’ Request to Withdraw Indictments

- 11 Practitioners Indicted and Awaiting Trial After Police Resubmit Cases

- 4 Practitioners Tried and Awaiting Verdicts Cases After Police Resubmit Cases

- 8 Practitioners Sentenced to Prison After Police Resubmit Cases

- 15 Cases Lack Current Prosecution Status After Being Returned to Police

- 1 Practitioner Awaiting Verdict after Procuratorate Resubmits Case

- 1 Practitioner Sentenced to Prison After Case Returned to Procuratorate

- 1 Practitioner’s Status Remains Unknown After Procuratorate Withdraws Indictment

- 3 Practitioners Await Retrial After Appeals Courts Revoke Original Verdicts

2 Released After Procuratorates Decline to Issue Arrest Warrants

Mr. Xing Zigang of Qingdao City, Shandong Province, was arrested on June 6, 2017, and released weeks later on July 13.

Ms. Liu Xiuchun of Shanyang City, Liaoning Province, was arrested on September 20, 2017, and released one month later on October 19.

1 Released After Procuratorate Declines to File Indictment

Ms. Miao Zhilian of Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia, was arrested on June 13, 2017, and released on August 9.

5 Released After Procuratorates Withdraw Indictments

Five practitioners had indictments withdrawn before their cases were forwarded to local courts.

Ms. Song Xiaohua and Ms. Michao of Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia, were arrested on July 13, 2017, and released on August 9.

Ms. Gao Fenglan of Mengyin County, Shandong Province, was arrested on November 17, 2016, and released on April 21, 2017. Ms. Liu Fenghou from the same county, who was arrested in August 2016, was released one day later.

Ms. Gu Lina of Changchun, Jilin Province, was arrested on October 7, 2017, and released on November 13.

1 Released After Trial Court Rescinds Conviction

Mr. Su Qinghua of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, was arrested on September 2, 2015, and the local Procuratorate twice returned his case to police. Nevertheless, he was indicted and sentenced to three years in prison in early 2017. He filed an appeal, and the local trial court rescinded his conviction on August 11, 2017.

13 Released After Courts Approve Procuratorates’ Request to Withdraw Indictments

Thirteen practitioners’ cases had already been forwarded to their local courts, but the Procuratorates that charged them requested to withdraw their indictments before trials took place. The courts approved the requests and returned the cases to Procuratorates.

Ms. Zhang Zhe, Ms. Li Xiaojun, and Ms. Sun Yanping, all residents of Jiazuo, Henan Province, were arrested around May 2016 and released on July 28, 2017. Three other local women, including Ms. Yuan Yunxiang, Ms. Li Guilian, and Ms. Wang Xiaoqing, were released on the same day, though it is unclear when they were arrested.

Ms. He Shifeng and Ms. Fu Chuanying of Shayang County, Hubei Province were arrested on March 13, 2016, and tried on September 23, 2016. The presiding judge admitted there was no legal basis on which to charge them. He approved the local Procuratorate’s request to withdraw its indictment on October 26, 2017.

Ms. Cui Yufang of Anshan, Liaoning Province, was arrested on June 28, 2016, and released on November 16.

Ms. Xue Yuying of Qingdao, Shandong Province, was arrested on August 23, 2015, and had charges against her dropped on June 29, 2017.

Mr. Wu Junxian of Chaoyang County, Liaoning Province, was arrested on October 22, 2016, and tried in late February 2017. He was released on July 26, 2017.

Ms. Wang Yu and Ms. Yang Aiping of Dandong, Liaoning Province, were arrested on August 28, 2016, and the local court ruled on December 13, 2017, to approve the Procuratorate’s request to withdraw their indictments.

11 Practitioners Indicted and Awaiting Trial after Police Resubmit Cases

The following practitioners are awaiting trial after police resubmitted their cases and persuaded local Procuratorates to indict them.

Mr. Shang Yukun of Hengshui, Hebei Province, was arrested on April 14, 2017, and remains incarcerated at Hengshui City Detention Center.

Ms. Wang Xiongzhen and Ms. Yuan Xiuying of Lanzhou, Gansu Province, were arrested on June 18, 2017. They remain incarcerated at Lanzhou City First Detention Center.

Ms. Zhang Shiying of Fushun, Liaoning Province, was arrested on September 20, 2017, and remains incarcerated at Fushun Detention Center.

Mr. Lu Jinlong of Shanghai was arrested on June 17, 2017, and remains incarcerated at Baoshan District Detention Center.

Ms. Cui Juhua of Shanghai was arrested on May 3, 2017, and remains at Yangpu District Detention Center. Her court date was set for January 4, 2018.

Mr. Gu Daping and his wife, Ms. Zhang Hua'e, residents of Handan, Hebei Province, were arrested on July 19, 2017. Mr. Gu is being held at the Handan City No. 1 Detention Center and Ms. Zhang at the Handan City No. 3 Detention Center.

Ms. Yin Lanying, Mr. Huang Yuanqiao, and Ms. Yang Linying, residents of Huaihua, Hunan Province, were arrested on October 9, 2017, and remain incarcerated at Huaihua City Detention Center. Long Zhihai, vice head of the local domestic security office, resubmitted the case even though the local Procuratorate had twice returned the case to police.

4 Practitioners Tried and Awaiting Verdicts After Police Resubmit Cases

The following practitioners have been tried and are awaiting verdicts after police resubmitted their cases and secured their indictment.

Ms. Hao Mingmei of Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, was arrested on March 22, 2017, and had her case returned to police in early August. The police resubmitted the case to the local Procuratorate, which soon indicted her. She appeared in court three times between November and December. She now awaits her verdict.

Mr. Zhang Aiwen of Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, was arrested on March 14, 2017. His case was twice returned to the police, but he was eventually indicted and tried on November 1. His family was not informed of his court hearing.

Mr. Li Qinjun and Mr. Wei Chengde of Xingyang, Henan Province, were arrested on May 12, 2017. The local Procuratorate returned the case to police, who resubmitted it not long afterward. The two practitioners were tried on November 9.

8 Practitioners Sentenced to Prison After Police Resubmit Cases

The following practitioners have already been sentenced to prison after police resubmitted their cases and had them put on trial.

Mr. Jian Xuefu and Mr. He Yuanlang of Guangshan County, Henan Province, were arrested on March 22, 2017. They appeared in court on October 20 and November 16, respectively. They were recently sentenced to prison, but the local court refused to reveal the sentencing terms to their families.

Ms. Wang Yuhong of Linghai, Liaoning Province, was arrested on April 14, 2017, and tried on September 11. Months later, she was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 20,000 yuan.

Ms. Pan Wenjie and Ms. Lu Fengxia of Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, were arrested on March 9 and June 20, 2017, respectively. They were tried jointly on November 22 and convicted weeks later, with Ms. Pan given 5 years in prison and Ms. Lu 2 years. They are appealing their sentences.

Mr. Yang Futian of Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, was arrested on May 25, 2017, and tried on September 7. His family received a notice on October 26 that he was sentenced to 4 years in prison.

Ms. Niu Bianbian and her younger sister, Ms. Niu Bianzi, were arrested on March 8, 2017. The local Procuratorate twice returned their case, but police refused to release them. They were eventually indicted and tried on November 21. Both sisters were convicted on December 8, with the older one sentenced to 1.5 years and the younger one to 1 year. They have appealed to Dingxi City Intermediate Court.

15 Cases Lack Current Prosecution Status After Being Returned to Police

The following practitioners saw their cases returned to police by the Procuratorate, but there is no information on their current prosecution status. It is unclear whether they have been indicted.

Mr. Zhang Wenlong of Zibo, Shandong Province, was arrested on September 28, 2017, for seeking justice for his wife, who was sentenced to three years in prison for refusing to renounce Falun Gong. He remains detained even though the local Procuratorate returned the case to police.

Mr. Zeng Zhaobin and Mr. Li Jiazhi of Guangshan County, Henan Province, were arrested on March 22, 2017, and later released on bail. The local Procuratorate returned their case to police in late July 2017.

Ms. Xing Sufang of Xingcheng, Liaoning Province, was arrested on July 21, 2017. Her case was returned to police on September 21.

Mr. Fu Wende, Mr. Song Nanyu, Mr. Shi Dexian and Mr. Liao Jianpu of Huaping County, Yunnan Province, were arrested in October 2016 and released on bail on September 7, 2017. The local Procuratorate returned the case to police on the day of the practitioners’ release.

Mr. Tian Yufei of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, was arrested on July 17, 2017, and had his case returned to police on October 23. He remains incarcerated at Taiyuan City First Detention Center, despite his lawyer’s request to have him released on bail. His disabled wife is left home alone to fend for herself.

Ms. Yang Ying of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, was arrested on January 18, 2017. Her case was returned to police for the second time on September 1.

Mr. Dou Yansheng and Ms. Hong Guimei, a married couple in Wuhan, Hubei Province, were arrested on July 20, 2017. Mr. Dou had high blood pressure and was sent to a police hospital, where he remains. Ms. Hong is being held at Wuhan City First Detention Center. The local Procuratorate returned their case to police, who had until January 7, 2018, to resubmit additional evidence.

Ms. Jiang Li of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, was arrested on November 11, 2016, and remains detained at Chengdu Detention Center, despite the local Procuratorate having returned their case to police three times.

Ms. Sun Lihao and Ms. Zhao Xuejing of Dandong, Liaoning Province, were arrested on May 12, 2017. They remain detained at Jingu Detention Center even though the local Procuratorate had returned their case to police three times.

1 Practitioner Awaiting Verdict After Procuratorate Resubmits Case

Mr. Tian Hui of Taihe County, Anhui Province, was arrested on February 15, 2017, and first appeared in court on November 12. The presiding judge returned the case to the local Procuratorate after the hearing. The Procuratorate resubmitted the case soon afterward. Mr. Tian had a second hearing on December 20. He remains incarcerated at Taihe County Detention Center.

1 Practitioner Sentenced to Prison After Case Returned to Procuratorate

Mr. Liu Meng of Baicheng, Jilin Province, was arrested on January 9, 2017. The local court returned the case to the Procuratorate after holding a hearing in June. The local police refused to release him. It was learned recently that he was sentenced to prison by the same court. It remains to be investigated when the case was resubmitted to the court or whether a new hearing was ever held.

1 Practitioner’s Status Remains Unknown After Procuratorate Withdraws Indictment

Mr. Ou Zhaoan of Yueyang, Hunan Province, was arrested in October 2017. He was scheduled to face trial on December 28, but the hearing was canceled after the local Procuratorate decided to withdraw his indictment. It is unclear, though, whether he has been released.

3 Practitioners Await Retrial After Appeals Courts Revoke Original Verdicts

Ms. Dai Yajuan of Anshan, Liaoning Province, was arrested on June 28, 2016, and later sentenced to prison. Judge Zhang Wei of Anshan City Intermediate Court ruled on August 18, 2017, to overturn the original verdict and ordered the lower court to hold a retrial.

Mr. Zheng Jiaxiang and Ms. Chen Nianchun of Fengyang County, Anhui Province, were sentenced to 5 years and 4 years in prison, respectively, in late 2016. The Chuzhou City Intermediate Court ruled around July 2017 to revoke the sentence. They are now awaiting retrial.

Shandong Man Released after Procuratorate Declines to Issue Arrest Warrant

Procuratorate Disapproves Arrest of Liaoning Practitioner Ms. Liu Xiuchun

Three Practitioners Released in Inner Mongolia After Authorities Decide Against Prosecution for Their Faith

Shandong Woman Released Five Months after Arrest

Procuratorate Withdraws Case Against Unlawfully Detained Changchun Woman

Three Women Released after Procuratorate Drops Charges Against Them

Sichuan Man Released after Court Rescinds Conviction

Court Rules to Drop Case Against Falun Gong Practitioner

Qingdao City Prosecutor Drops Charges Against Ms. Xue Yuying

A Win for Freedom of Belief: Charges Against Two Falun Gong Practitioners Dropped

Two Gansu Women Remain Detained Despite Return of Cases to Police by Procuratorate

Mr. Lu Jinlong Again Arrested For His Faith