(Minghui.org) The Harbin City Intermediate Court in Heilongjiang Province ruled on March 31, 2026, to uphold the four-year prison sentence of Mr. Guan Lianbin for practicing Falun Gong. His lawyer proceeded to file a motion of administrative reconsideration and later an administrative lawsuit, but neither was accepted for processing.
Mr. Guan, of Ning’an City, Heilongjiang Province, is now serving time at the Hulan Prison. He’s been denied visits with his family and lawyer.
Appeals Judge Issues Ruling Without Holding Open Hearing
Mr. Guan was arrested on August 20, 2025, by officers from the Songbei District Police Department in Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang Province. It is unclear whether Harbin police went to Ning’an City (nearly 300 miles away) to arrest him or if he was arrested in Harbin.
The Daowai District Procuratorate in Harbin indicted Mr. Guan, and the Daowai District Court sentenced him to four years in late December 2025.
The law enforcement, the procuratorate, and the trial court violated legal procedures at every step of Mr. Guan’s arrest, indictment, and trial (see related reports for details), yet appeals judge Wang Gang ruled to uphold his original verdict even before his appeals lawyer delivered the defense statements.
When questioned as to why he did not hold an open hearing as requested, Wang replied, “No Falun Gong appeals case has ever had an open hearing in Harbin!”
Mr. Guan’s family submitted an open information request for Wang’s resume. They questioned his credentials given his mishandling of the case. No response was ever given.
Back on February 11, 2026, the family and the lawyer had also requested the resumes of officers Man Wenjian and Wang Mengkun, who arrested Mr. Guan. The Songbei District Police Department replied on March 13 refusing to disclose such information. The family filed an administrative reconsideration on March 21, and the Songbei District Government replied on April 17 to concur with the police department to not share the two officers’ resumes.
The family entrusted the lawyer to submit an administrative lawsuit against the police department with the Harbin Railway Transportation Intermediate Court. But the court insisted that the out-of-town lawyer be physically present when submitting the lawsuit. The lawyer was unable to travel to Harbin by the submission deadline.
Uphill Battle to Seek Justice for Mr. Guan
Mr. Guan’s family and appeals lawyer filed a motion on May 23, 2026, for administrative reconsideration of the appeals ruling. The Harbin Municipal Government responded on June 3 that the case was not accepted but the family could file an administrative lawsuit with the Harbin Railway Transportation Intermediate Court within 15 days of receiving the reply from the municipal government.
Mr. Guan’s family and lawyer went to the Harbin Railway Transportation Intermediate Court on June 15. They arrived at 8 a.m. and it suddenly rained. The security guard did not allow them to go inside to take cover from the rain. After the court opened at 8:30 a.m., the receptionist refused to accept their lawsuit. The lawyer called the court’s complaint line. The person who answered the call hung up when realizing it was about Mr. Guan’s case.
Denied Visits While Jailed in Prison
It is unclear when Mr. Guan was admitted to the Hulan Prison after his appeal was rejected. His family submitted open information requests on May 23 and 26, 2026, demanding to know his situation at the prison. The Heilongjiang Province Prison Management Bureau has yet to issue a response.
The family and the lawyer went to the Hulan Prison right after their court trip on June 15, 2026. The guard at the gate gave them four numbers of the strict management team he was held. No one answered the first three numbers. They called the fourth number and were told they could return at 1 p.m. that day for a visit.
A different guard called the lawyer in just a little while to say that Mr. Guan was not allowed to meet with his family or lawyer because he had refused to write the required four statements as ordered. The guard refused to reveal what the four statements were about. The lawyer called the strict management team and was also told no visits for Mr. Guan.
While the exact contents of the four statements were unclear, jailed Falun Gong practitioners across China have been known to face pressure to write various statements to renounce and denounce Falun Gong.
Related Reports:
Sentenced to Four Years on Shaky Evidence, Heilongjiang Man Appeals Wrongful Conviction
Once Jailed for 5 Years, Heilongjiang Man Gets Another 4 Years for Practicing Falun Gong
The Persecution of Falun Dafa Practitioner Guan Lianbin
Persecution of Falun Gong Practitioners in Mudanjiang Prison Division 6 and Division 8
Torture at Mudanjiang Prison Has Caused Over Ten Deaths and Numerous Disabilities
Brutal Torture of Falun Dafa Practitioners in Mudanjiang Prison
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