Mr. Li Zongbo and Ms. Duan Youru from Yingde City, Guangdong Province, Were Sentenced

Mr. Li Zongbo, 38, from Shakou Township in Yingde City, Guangdong Province, makes a living by doing contract work. Ms. Duan Youru, 43, is unemployed. She had diabetes, headaches, and a skin condition. After she started to practise Falun Gong, all her ailments disappeared.

On January 9th, 2009, the two Falun Gong practitioners went to Pingfeng Elementary School to distribute leaflets exposing the persecution of Falun Gong to the students. On the way home, they were arrested by officers Wu Hailang and Huang Zhenpi from Shakou Police Station, who were tipped off by school principal Hu Yuanqing.

Without following any legal procedures, the police ransacked the homes of these two practitioners and took a copier, tape recorder, Falun Gong books, and a motorcycle. They were held in Yingde City Detention Centre for several months and not allowed any family visits. Only when his family made adamant demands were they eventually allowed to meet. Even then they were not allowed to say anything, and they were taken away quickly. After that, nobody heard anything from or about them.

An insider leaked information that a trial would be held on April 28th. Their families heard about it and went to court. During the trial only the judge, the jury, and the police were present. There were no attorneys nor anyone sitting in. This was a secret trial. The trial began with a narration of how the two practitioners had distributed Falun Gong CDs. After testimonies from five schoolteachers and several students, the two practitioners were deemed guilty of "sabotaging the implementation of national laws." The whole process lasted less than an hour and a half. When their families asked when the results would be made public, they were told the case had to be discussed and that there would be another trial before the families were notified.

Their families were not allowed to visit them after the trial. In July the families heard that the two practitioners were likely to be sentenced because they did not admit guilt and they had clarified the truth to others in the prison. Finally they heard that Mr. Li was sentenced to four years and Ms. Duan was sentenced to three years. The detention centre still did not allow their families to visit. Only when the families pressed for details did detention centre officials say that they would be allowed to visit on July 10th and that the practitioners would be transferred on July 17th. When the families visited on July 17th, they were told that their loved ones had been transferred on July 13th, but they were not told where. Eventually they found out that Mr. Li Zongbo was in Beijiang Prison in Huanggang, Shaoguan City, and Ms. Duan Youru in Baiyungong Fifth Women's Prison in Guangzhou City.

People Involved:

Pingfeng Elementary School:

Hu Yuanqing, principal

Li Guobao, director

Teachers Liao Chunlan, Zhong Peilan, Li Yangjian, Yuan Lantian, Li Jiayang, and Li Yangbao

Shakou Police Station

Zhong Siping, head: 86-13509256045 (Mobile), 86-763-2551363 (Office)
Lu Shilai, political head: 86-13828529933 (Mobile), 86-763-2551363 (Office)
Wu Hailang, deputy head: 86-13501451836 (Mobile), 86-763-2551363 (Office)

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2010/1/14/216237.html