(Minghui.org) It was recently learned that a native of Qingyang County, Gansu Province had been sentenced to 12 years for his faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.
Mr. Wang Liqun, around 62, was arrested in Xi’an City (the capital of Shaanxi Province and about 120 miles away from Qingyang County) on October 19, 2022, by the Qingyang County Domestic Security Office. His hometown police targeted him because he filed a criminal complaint against former Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin in 2015 for ordering the persecution of Falun Gong. The police had intended to arrest him in 2015 but he evaded them. They hunted him for the next seven years before tracking him down in Xi’an City and arresting him.
The Zhenyuan County Procuratorate indicted Mr. Wang in January 2023 and he stood trial at the Zhenyuan County Court on February 27, 2023. He was then sentenced at an unknown date. He has filed an appeal against the wrongful conviction.
Minghui.org has reported in detail Mr. Wang’s arrest and trial. Below is a quick recap of his persecution.
Given Three-year Forced Labor Term in 2000 and Glass Shop Shut Down
Mr. Wang, a former decorative glass shop owner in Qingyang County, took up Falun Gong in 1994. Given the excellent quality of his products, he had a good reputation and was elected the director of the local business association.
Since the onset of the persecution, Mr. Wang has been arrested several times for upholding his faith. In particular, he was given three years of forced labor following his arrest in April 2000. He was forced to close his glass shop, which caused a loss of over 100,000 yuan.
Wife Dies in 2015 After Brief Detention
In early 2015, Mr. Wang filed a criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin for initiating the persecution of Falun Gong. The Qingyang police soon found out about it and broke into his home on July 5, 2015. He happened to be visiting his daughter in Xi’an City that day so he escaped arrest. The police seized his wife instead.
The terror of the persecution took a toll on Mr. Wang’s wife. She fell ill after being released and passed away shortly after.
Latest Arrest Follows Seven Years on the Run
The Qingyang police harassed Mr. Wang again after his wife’s passing. He was forced to live away from home to avoid the persecution. He eventually settled in Xi’an City and did odd jobs to make a living.
The Qingyang police never gave up looking for Mr. Wang. They put his photo on the cloud database, which is connected to the network of surveillance cameras across the country. They eventually tracked him down in Xi’an City and arrested him on October 19, 2022. They brought him back to Qingyang County and his case was assigned to neighboring Zhenyuan County.
Sentenced on Shaky Evidence
The Zhenyuan County Procuratorate indicted Mr. Wang in January 2023 and moved his case to the Zhenyuan County Court. While reviewing Mr. Wang’s case document, his lawyer found that the 700-page indictment submitted by the prosecutor was exactly the same as the indictment against another Falun Gong practitioner, Ms. Duan Xiaoyan, seven years ago. Ms. Duan was sentenced to ten years back then.
The Zhenyuan County Court held a hearing of Mr. Wang’s case on February 27, 2023.
Among the 17 witnesses listed by the prosecutor, Mr. Wang said he only recognized the names of his brother and father and he had never met or heard of the other 15 people. The lawyer pointed out that the witness accounts were very similar to each other. As none of the witnesses appeared in court to accept cross-examination, he doubted their credibility.
The prosecutor claimed that all 17 witnesses said that Mr. Wang had helped them prepare criminal complaints against Jiang Zemin. The prosecutor thus concluded that it was Mr. Wang who organized them to file the complaints to “defame the country’s leader.”
Mr. Wang’s lawyer refuted the charge of illegal activity, saying that every citizen is entitled to freedom of speech and the right to criticize or sue the country’s leaders. Exercising such a constitutional right was by no means “undermining law enforcement with a cult organization.” The lawyer added that all of the witnesses mentioned filed complaints against Jiang on their own initiative, without being ordered by anyone, which also debunked the prosecutor’s claim.
As the prosecutor couldn’t refute the defense statement, he blurted out, “Falun Gong [practitioners] persuade people to quit the Communist Party. Isn’t that a cult?”
The court convicted Mr. Wang at an unknown date.
Related reports:
Chinese Prosecutor: "Persuading People to Quit the Communist Party Is a Cult Activity"
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