(Minghui.org) Mr. Peng Junnan, an 80-year-old award-winning middle school teacher in Hengyang City, Hunan Province, had his home raided on June 12, 2021 for his faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Mr. Peng and five other practitioners arrested on the same day were indicted by Tang Canhui of the Shigu District Procuratorate in September 2021. Three of their lawyers entered not guilty pleas for them when they appeared in the Shigu District Court on December 22. The judge sentenced them to two to seven years with fines on July 1, 2022. The details regarding the prison sentences against the practitioners remain to be investigated.
The other five practitioners were Ms. Li Fengying, Ms. Zou Hongyan, Ms. Jiang Xiuju, Ms. Xie Haiyun and Ms. Chen Hengxiu.
In November 2022, Mr. Peng appealed with the Hengyang City Intermediate Court. He also filed complaints against Zhao Wei, the head of the Domestic Security Office, for trespassing his private residence and stealing his personal properties, and prosecutor Tang Canhui and judge Lu Jianchun for wrongfully indicting and sentencing him. He demanded an acquittal and the return of his confiscated items.
Arrest and Sentencing
Led by Zhao, five plainclothes officers came to Mr. Peng’s rental apartment at 6 a.m. on June 12, 2021. As no one was home, the police pried open the door and raided his place. His computer, printer and a new cellphone, as well as some of his family member’s items, were confiscated. No confiscation list was ever given to him or his family. Mr. Peng spent over 100 yuan to repair the door and lock.
Prosecutor Tang contacted Mr. Peng on September 26, 2021 and ordered him to sign the indictment. He refused to sign and insisted that he is a law-abiding citizen and that didn’t violate any law in practicing “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.” The persecutor then deceived his daughter into signing on his behalf without telling her the content of the document. She was also ordered to write, “Because of my father’s health issues, he couldn’t hold a pen, so I’m signing the document for him.”
When Mr. Peng appeared in the Shigu District Court on December 22, 2021, judge Lu ordered the bailiffs to remove the microphone in front of him, which effectively prevented him from saying anything during the hearing.
Mr. Peng was charged with “undermining law enforcement with a cult organization.” His lawyer challenged the judge to show the legal basis for labeling Falun Gong as a cult and the prosecutor to specify which law’s enforcement was undermined by Mr. Peng. Neither of them responded.
None of the items that were confiscated from Mr. Peng and used as prosecution evidence against him was cross-examined during the hearing. However, the final verdict stated that “The above facts were confirmed by the evidence cross-examination and corroboration in court.”
As Mr. Peng refused to sign the verdict, judge Lu withheld it for nearly two months and finally gave it to him on August 22, upon persistent requests from Mr. Peng.
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