(Minghui.org) An elderly woman in Pingliang City, Gansu Province stood trial on September 15, 2022, for her faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Wu Caihui’s lawyer entered a not-guilty plea for her. He pointed out that the indictment claimed 74 copies of Falun Gong informational materials were confiscated from his client’s home when in fact only 4 copies were found. The prosecutor couldn’t explain the discrepancy, and he also remained silent when the lawyer challenged him to show the legal basis to justify the persecution of Falun Gong. The judge then adjourned the hearing in the middle of the session.
Ms. Wu was arrested on March 9, 2022, after being reported by the neighborhood security for talking to a student about Falun Gong. Five officers turned her home upside down without showing a search warrant.
In the basement of the Kongdong District Police Department, the police held Ms. Wu in a metal chair and interrogated her for four hours. She was released the same day, but was summoned four days later and ordered to pay 20,000 yuan fine. The police threatened to throw her in jail if she didn’t pay it.
The police later submitted Ms. Wu’s case to the procuratorate. The prosecutor indicted her on charges of “indoctrinating a teenager.”
During Ms. Wu’s hearing on September 15, her lawyer questioned the prosecutor whether she caused any physical or mental harm to the student she talked to, the prosecutor replied, “No.”
The prosecutor then accused Ms. Wu of being a part of a “cult organization.” She refuted the charge and said no law ever criminalizes Falun Gong or labels it a cult in China.
Ms. Wu testified that both her health and character improved by practicing Falun Gong. She also said that Falun Gong doesn’t have any membership and that anyone is free to join or leave the practice.
The prosecutor went on to say that the police confiscated 74 copies of Falun Gong pamphlets at Ms. Wu’s home. She again refuted him because only four copies were taken away. She said none of the officers ransacking her home were wearing police uniforms, nor did they show their IDs or search warrant. She wasn’t given any list of confiscated items either.
With regard to the extra non-existent 70 copies of Falun Gong materials, the lawyer questioned the prosecutor whether he verified the number with the police and the prosecutor replied no. Both the prosecutor and the police remained silent when the lawyer asked them where the number 74 came from.
Despite the lack of valid evidence, the prosecutor then accused Ms. Wu of violating criminal law, but he couldn’t articulate which law it was when being pressed by the lawyer.
After moments of silence, the judge adjourned the hearing and said he would announce the verdict at a later time. Ms. Wu returned home on the same day.
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