(Minghui.org) Ms. Li Mingxiu, a Falun Gong practitioner from Taikang County, was tried in the Ranghulu Court in Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, on June 10, 2019. Ms. Li's lawyer had been dismissed, so she defended herself. A verdict was not handed down at the end of the proceedings.

The trial was held on the third floor of the Ranghulu Courthouse in the same courtroom where other practitioners, such as Ms. Lu Guanru and Mr. Liu Enquan, have been tried. A female recorder input the proceedings on a computer. The presiding judge was Yang Guangping and the prosecutor was Liu Chao. The judge called Ms. Li's daughter forward to write down as evidence that Ms. Li's lawyer had been dismissed.

There were no police officers outside the courtroom, and nearly 20 people made their way inside. Five were Ms. Li's relatives and the rest were Falun Gong practitioners. They were not allowed to bring in their cell phones or to speak. When Ms. Li entered, she was wearing glasses, casual clothes, and slippers. She was not handcuffed. She smiled as she walked in.

The prosecutor read the list of items that had been confiscated when Ms. Li was arrested. The presiding judge told the recorder to check and record each item and to verify if Ms. Li recognized each one.

When Ms. Li made her concluding statement, she said, “I have not committed any crime. Falun Gong is my spiritual belief. I practice to eliminate illness and keep fit. When I was young, I was in poor health and my bones were necrotic. After I began practicing, my health greatly improved. I have not broken any laws. I just want to be a good person. I have an honest and kind husband, two daughters, and an elderly mother. I hope the judge will release me so that I can return to my family.”

After Ms. Li made her statement, the trial was adjourned. No verdict was announced.