(Minghui.org) Five Bozhou City, Anhui Province residents stood trial on December 5, 2019 for their faith in Falun Gong, an ancient spiritual and meditation discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ten Family Members Among 12 Arrested in One Day
The authorities in Bozhou City dispatched over 100 police officers on April 17, 2019 and arrested Ms. Wang Yulan, her five daughters, three sons-in-law and a 12-year-old grandson.
Ms. Wang and her four younger daughters all practice Falun Gong. Two other local Falun Gong practitioners, Ms. Jiang Jianmei and Ms. Jia Suling, were also arrested on the same day.
Ms. Wang, in her 70s and who has a serious medical condition, her oldest daughter who doesn’t practice Falun Gong, her grandson and sons-in-law, as well as Ms. Jia, were released shortly.
Judge Fails to Give Advance Notice of Court Hearing
Ms. Jiang and the four sisters, Ms. Mu Min, Ms. Mu Pengjuan, Ms. Mu Xia and Ms. Mu Lifang, remained in custody and appeared in Qiaocheng District Court on December 5, 2019.
More than twenty of their family members attended the hearing.
Judge Che Haishan didn’t inform the practitioners of the hearing three days in advance, as required by law. Both the practitioners and their five lawyers protested against the judge's violation of legal procedures and requested to have the hearing rescheduled. Judge Che ignored them and signaled for the hearing to go on.
The lawyers entered a not guilty plea for the practitioners. The practitioners also testified in their own defense. They denied breaking any law in practicing Falun Gong or living by its principles of “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.”
Ms. Jiang tried to defend herself, but judge Che ordered court marshals to hold her tight and put handcuffs on her. She was next led to sit away from the other four practitioners.
The hearing went from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The judge adjourned the session without issuing a verdict.
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