(Minghui.org) Mr. Li Wei, a Da’an City resident was tried on May 4, 2017 for refusing to renounce Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime. Mr. Li testified in his own defense as the local authorities prohibited anyone from defending his constitutional right to freedom of belief in court.
As a peaceful protest against the unfair trial, Mr. Li’s father wrote “Punish evil; promote goodness” with paint on his balcony, but three officers removed the words on May 12, even though the elderly man violated no city ordinances.
Mr. Li remains detained at Da'an Detention Center since his arrest three months ago.
Falsified Evidence Against Mr. Li
Mr. Li was arrested as he was passing through security at a train station on February 7, 2017. The police searched his bag and confiscated a flash drive from him. They ransacked his home in the afternoon and interrogated him in the evening.
Failing to find physical evidence to charge him, the police printed 200 copies of Falun Gong informational materials found on his flash drive and submitted the copies to the Da'an City Procuratorate. The procuratorate approved his arrest on February 22.
The procuratorate, however, returned the case to police on March 1, citing insufficient evidence. On March 24, officers Wang Lei and Mu Zijing submitted the case to the procuratorate again. This time, prosecutor Chen Yafu quickly forwarded the case to the local court.
Mr. Li's wife, with their 10-month-old baby in tow, went to the court and found the judge in charge of the case, Sun Shouhang. “My husband didn't violate any law. You should have him acquitted,” she said to Sun.
“His case document stated that he was involved in spreading 200 pieces of information about Falun Gong,” Sun said. He also admitted that he didn't have any say on the outcome of the case, as it was determined by higher ups.
Mr. Li's wife said that she would hire a lawyer to seek justice for him. “It's useless, don't waste the money,” Sun said to her.
When Mr. Li's family was looking for a lawyer, they were told by local lawyers that the Justice Bureau in Da'an wouldn't approve their representation of Mr. Li. And for lawyers from other cities, the court wouldn't let them attend the trials.
Mr. Li was tried on May 4 without legal representation. He argued for his constitutional right to freedom of belief and demanded an acquittal. Prosecutor Chen Yafu presented the police-supplied evidence and recommended a three-year sentence.
