Authorities in Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province, Secretly Prosecute Nine Practitioners

On November 28th, 2007, the Chinese Communist Party- controlled court in Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province, secretly held hearings for nine Falun Dafa practitioners. During the four months these practitioners were detained, Lingyuan City Public Security, the Procuratorate, the court, and the judiciary system secretly colluded with each other and knowingly violated the law.

The nine were arrested when they attended a Falun Gong experience sharing conference in Beilu Village on August 1st, 2007. Also arrested was another practitioner, Hu Yanrong. He has already died as a result of torture. The Lingyuan City Public Security Bureau accepted no responsibility for his death. Mr. Liu Jincheng of Wanyuandian, Lingyuan City, was arrested at his home on August 10th, 2007. Authorities claimed he installed a satellite TV receiver for others. Ms. Dong Xiuqin, a teacher at Chaoyang Street Primary School, suffered severe torture at Masanjia Forced Labour Camp. As a result, she experienced a mental breakdown requiring an extended recovery period after her release from the camp.

Lingyuan City court held a secret hearing for these nine practitioners without notifying their families. Some of the families found out about the hearings and applied for admission, but were turned away. Many staff of the public security bureau, the Procuratorate and the court and educational system were given admission to the proceedings. On the day of the hearing, the nine practitioners were handcuffed behind their backs as the police escorted them into the courtroom. They wore prisoners' uniforms, and the men's heads were shaved. Lingyuan City court maintained high security both inside and outside the courtroom and doors were locked. Vehicles were not allowed near the building and staff had to obtain signatures from anyone entering the courtroom, even from two police chiefs. Some practitioners' family members tried to gain admission to the court, but were denied entrance. Ms. Guo Fengxian's 80-year-old mother wanted to see her daughter, but was expelled.

Lingyuan City law enforcement agency staff who participated in the persecution and trial of these practitioners acted as if they were being threatened by an army. They took strict precautions against any claims that they may have caused the death of practitioner Hu Yanrong. They threatened to quickly cremate his body, fearing that his family might take this chance to "cause trouble."

Some of the tried practitioners hired lawyers, but not all of the lawyers attended the proceedings. Ms. Li Jingfang's lawyer received threats that his licence to practise law would be revoked if he appeared in court. He did not dare appear in court. Ms. Guo Fengxian's family received a call from someone claiming to be a staff person at the detention centre and they were told to hire a lawyer. The lawyer they retained was secretly controlled by the judicial bureau and politics and law committee. The authorities would not allow the lawyer to represent Ms. Guo, claiming he was not legally licensed to practise law.

The lawyer for Mr. Liu Jincheng appeared in court, but cooperated with the court. Mr. Ma Yanhua's attorney entered a plea of innocence for him and requested his release, however, the court still handed him over to the public security bureau and informed him he must wait three more days for a decision.

Lingyuan City Public Security Bureau:
Director General Zhang Lin: 86-421- 6883101 (Office), 86-421-2690000 (Home),
86-13304910001 (Mobile)
Deputy Director General Yang Minghui: 86-421-6883103, 86-421-6824813,
86-13904213390

Lingyuan National Protection Brigade:
Chief Wang Guilin: 86-421-6891665, 86-421-6851687, 86-13704917349
Deputy Chief Chen Zhi: 86-13842156895

Lingyuan City Court: 86-421-2316706, 86-421-2306708, 86-421-2316709
Chief Liu Wenxing: 86-421-2316701, 86-13504213089
Vice-Chief Bi Guoyi: 86-421-2316758, 86-421-6825882, 86-13704917494
Vice-Chief Qi Haishen: 86-421-2316768, 86-421-6891292, 86-13842109566

Lingyuan City No. 1 Detention Centre manager Liu Haijun: 86-421-6883215,
86-13500417589
Lingyuan City No. 2 Detention Centre manager Li Dongchun: 86-421-6901835,
86-13942176005

Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/12/4/167705.html