(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners Ms. Shi Jing and Ms. Shao Ying were tried at the Dumeng County Court in Daqing City on September 8, 2017. The court created obstacles for their family, friends, and attorneys, to the extent that many could not attend the trial; the two practitioners did not have a fair trial.
Preventing Family and Friends from Entering the Courtroom
In the courtroom, unknown people occupied 27 seats on the morning of the trial. Only one family member of each practitioner was allowed to enter the courtroom.
Outside the court, dozens of uniformed and plainclothes policemen and auxiliary police were monitoring everyone near the courtroom. The chief and deputy chief of the Dumeng County Police Department and officers from the Domestic Security Division were present. Deputy Chief Lin Jiawei ordered the police to remove all bystanders.
Dozens of family members and friends who stood on the other side of barriers, including four of Ms. Shi Jing’s relatives, were ordered to leave. Several people who were sitting in the security hallway were driven out.
The court had announced to the public that the trial would commence at 10:30 a.m., but they notified the attorneys that the trial would start at 9:00 a.m.
Restrictions Placed on Attorneys
Two defense attorneys, one from Beijing and one from Daqing City, were contacted by the local Political and Legal Affairs Committee ten days before the trial. They pressured the attorney from Daqing City until he dropped the case. He was replaced by a local attorney. The committee threatened the attorney from Beijing and placed multiple restrictions on him.
The day before the trial, the defense attorneys were told that they would have to go through a security checkpoint to enter the court, which is against the rules set by the judicial security division. Additionally, they could not bring their computers or cell phones into the courtroom.
Trial Statements
At the hearing, the two attorneys refuted the charges from the procuratorate. They pleaded innocent on behalf of their clients and said that distributing Falun Gong informational materials does not constitute a crime.
Ms. Shao Ying described the benefits she has obtained from practicing Falun Gong. She had suffered from a nervous condition and blood vessel tumors. After just one week of practicing Falun Gong, her nervous disorder disappeared. Her character and personality improved greatly as well, and she changed from being selfish and bad tempered to someone who was calm, good natured and thoughtful about the needs of others.
The Public Hears the Facts About Falun Gong
Many people in the courtroom that day learned about how Falun Gong was being unjustly persecuted. Some told the attorneys that they were impressed by their defense.
Even outside the courtroom, passersby learned about Falun Gong from the relatives and friends of the practitioners.
Arrest and Detention
Ms. Shi Jing and Ms. Shao Ying were arrested on April 2, 2017, for handing out informational materials about Falun Gong. Their cases were filed with the Dumeng County Court on June 30 by the Dumeng Procuratorate. They were illegally detained in the Daqing City Detention Center for six months.
