(Minghui.org) The Dalian City Intermediate Court in Liaoning Province ruled on March 25, 2024, to uphold the wrongful conviction of a local resident for her faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.
Ms. Kong Qingping was sentenced to seven years and fined 30,000 yuan after three appearances at the Ganjingzi District Court in 2023 (on April 10, September 22, and November 10). After her appeal was rejected, she filed a motion with the Dalian City Intermediate Court to reconsider her case.
Ms. Kong is still held at the Dalian City Detention Center (also known as the Yaojia Detention Center). Her daughter, who lives in San Francisco, U.S., is calling for her release.
Falun Gong Saved Her Life
Ms. Kong took up Falun Gong in 2004 amidst the persecution of Falun Gong. She suffered a persistent fever early that year and was diagnosed with septicemia. Her condition was very dangerous and the medical treatment didn’t have much effect on her. She later decided to practice Falun Gong. In just one month, her health improved significantly and her ailments disappeared. The melasma on her face was gone and her complexion became rosy and refined. In addition to the improvement in her physical health, her bad temper also disappeared. Her relationship with her husband and other family members became harmonious again.
Because of her life-transforming experience with Falun Gong, Ms. Kong never wavered in her faith despite the authorities’ pressure for her to quit the practice. She thus became a target for persecution.
Prison Sentence Stemmed from Arrest in 2020
Ms. Kong’s prison sentence stemmed from her arrest on February 25, 2020. The Lijia Street Police Station in Shahekou District broke into her home that day and confiscated her Falun Gong books and materials. The police interrogated her for 24 hours before releasing her under house arrest. They summoned her one month later and ordered her to write a statement promising to give up practicing Falun Gong. She refused to comply and was detained for one day. The police then released her on 10,000 yuan bail.
Arrested Again in October 2022 While In Hiding
When the one-year bail ended in March 2021, the police ordered Ms. Kong to report to them again. She left home to avoid being arrested.
Four officers from the Lijia Street Police Station, including An Guolin, tracked Ms. Kong down and followed her family to their temporary residence at around 3 p.m. on October 22, 2022. The police then shut off their power supply. As Ms. Kong’s family stepped out to check what was wrong, the police broke in and seized her.
Ms. Kong was taken to the Dalian City Detention Center and has since been denied family visits.
On November 22, 2022, the police submitted her case to the Shahekou District Procuratorate, which in turn forwarded it to the Ganjingzi District Procuratorate.
Convicted on Fabricated Evidence
Thirty minutes before Ms. Kong’s first hearing at the Ganjingzi District Court on April 10, 2023, judge Ni Shengjun (+86-411-82793742, +86-19104113708, +86-411-82791755) suddenly notified her family that they were no longer allowed to attend her trial. Her two lawyers went inside the courtroom but did not see their client in person. It turned out that Ni had Ms. Kong appear virtually from the detention center citing the pandemic control as an excuse.
Prosecutor Ji Xiaohui (+86-18581093142, +86-15698895875, +86-411-86579990) presented two pieces of prosecution evidence. The first one was the couplets bearing Falun Gong messages that Ms. Kong had on her door. The second one was police records of their interrogation of Hu Ruilin, one of Ms. Kong’s neighbors. The interrogation record stated that Hu said he “saw Kong Qingping distribute DVDs containing Falun Gong information at the entrance of their apartment complex” on a certain day.
Ms. Kong’s lawyers argued that no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong and hence the couplets were totally legal decorations that she could have.
Regarding the second prosecution evidence, the lawyers pointed out that Ms. Kong and her husband were on vacation overseas on the said day that the police alleged she distributed DVDs.
Since Hu was not called to the stand to accept cross-examination, the lawyers approached him after the hearing and he said he never mentioned Ms. Kong’s name to the police. He only stated that he saw “someone” distributing DVDs.
Hu expressed his willingness to appear in court to make clear what exactly he said to the police. Ms. Kong’s lawyers requested he be called to the stand during the next two hearings (on September 22, and November 10, 2023), but judge Ni denied the request and later convicted Ms. Kong on the police-fabricated evidence.
After Ms. Kong filed an appeal, her lawyers again requested Hu be called to the stand, but judge Zheng Wenlong (+86-411-83775055) of the Dalian City Intermediate Court also denied the request and ruled on March 25, 2024, to uphold the original verdict.
Related Reports:
U.S. Congresswoman Calls on Secretary of State to Help Rescue Incarcerated Falun Gong Practitioner
Mother of San Francisco Resident Arrested for Her Faith, Denied Family Visit
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