70-Year-Old Mr. Sun Guojun Sentenced to Prison

(Minghui.org) Mr. Sun Guojun, in his 70s, from Xiajiapu Town in Fushun City, Liaoning Province was illegally tried by the Qingyuan County Court at 9:30 a.m. on June 28, 2017. He was sentenced to one-and-a-half years in prison on July 21, 2017, for distributing Falun Gong calendars.

At the trial, the prosecutor tried to get a heavy prison sentence for Mr. Sun by presenting testimony from an alleged “witness” that was not relevant to the case. The prosecutor also argued that Mr. Sun had been held in a forced labor camp before so he should be found guilty. Mr. Sun's lawyer disputed all the so-called evidence.

Mr. Sun testified how he benefitted from practicing Falun Gong and that he did not violate any law for talking to people about the practice.

Presiding Judge Shao Changxin became irritated and said, “If we don't punish you, who else do we punish?”

The trial lasted for about an hour before the court hastily adjourned at around 10:30 a.m. due to insufficient evidence and facts.

The Qingyuan County Court delivered the one-and-a-half year prison sentence on July 21^st and fined him 5,000 yuan. Mr. Sun has appealed the unjust sentence.

Background on the Arrest and Detention

Mr. Sun and Mr. Guan Shiwen were reported to village Party secretary Xu Shengtian for distributing Falun Gong calendars in Tianqiao Village on December 26, 2016. Xu then called the police, and the two practitioners were arrested by officers from the Xiajiapu Town Police Station.

Mr. Guan was detained for 15 days, while Mr. Sun was placed under criminal detention and held in the Qingyuan County Detention Center for over seven months.

His family was not allowed to visit him or drop off his clothes the entire time. They were only allowed to deposit cash in his account for him to purchase personal items in the detention center.

The Qingyuan County Police Department turned Mr. Sun's case to the Prosecution Section in the county procuratorate on March 9, 2017. However, the procuratorate had to return the case back to the police for more evidence on April 18, 2017.

Parties involved in the persecution:Xu Shengtian, (徐胜天), party secretary, Tianqiao Village: [phone], [phone]Shao Changxin (邵长欣), judge: [phone], [phone]Zheng Zhiwen (郑志文), head, Domestic Security Division: [phone], [phone]Li Tieming (李铁铭), Qingyuan County Court president: [phone], [phone]Zhang Qingli (张庆利), vice president: [phone], +86-511 18641389519

Related article: 70-Year-Old Mr. Sun Guojun Arrested for Distributing Falun Gong Calendars