Falun Gong Practitioner Ms. Chen Kaiyu Tried in Court

Ms. Chen Kaiyu is a Falun Gong practitioner in her 50s from Hecheng District, Huaihua City, Hunan. After having been detained for six months, she was put on trial at the Hecheng District Court in Huaihua on April 11th, 2013. Her lawyer made a plea of innocence and asked for her acquittal. The process of the trial was heavily watched by police and 610 Office personnel (an organisation of special agents just for persecuting Falun Gong), as well as surveillance cameras. Ms. Chen was arrested by officers from the Hutian Police Station, a branch of the Hecheng Police Station on October 20th, 2012 and then detained at the Huaihua Detention Centre. Her family was told that she would be released in several days, but actually Ms. Chen was transferred to a brainwashing centre, then to the No. 2 Detention Centre of Huaihua. Her whereabouts were hidden from her family members for almost two months.

At around 10 a.m. April 11th, 2013, Ms. Chen was brought to the court. Chief Judge Wang Jingye, Judge Tian, an anonymous judge, a court recorder, and public procurator Li Hua from the Hecheng District Procuratorate were present, as well as Ms. Chen's lawyer Pi Chaonan and dozens of her relatives and friends.

Ms. Chen undertook a plea of innocence. She pointed out that some of the records in evidence were fake and that the practice of Falun Gong was not against any law. Ms. Chen also stated that her detention had caused the recurrence of cholecystitis which had previously been cured by her practice of Falun Gong.

The chief judge interrupted Ms. Chen's statement saying it was irrelevant to the case. He asked Ms. Chen if the evidence provided by the police was accurate; she clarified that the so-called evidence were just copies and that their credibility was questionable. Also, a witness offered by the police was absent.

The lawyer proved that the evidence was insufficient and irrelevant to the charges against Ms. Chen. He also argued that the charge of “Interfering with the implementation of laws using an evil cult organization” was illogical because practising Falun Gong was beneficial to both individuals and the society and freedom of speech was protected by the Constitution. In summary, the lawyer demanded an innocent acquittal for his client, Ms. Chen.

The procurator was unable to answer Ms. Chen or her lawyer's questions, instead, he pretended not to listen and avoided them by talking on his own. He didn't know how to answer the question “which law did Ms. Chen break?” In the end, he said to Ms. Chen and her lawyer, “Don't focus on which laws she broke.”

Despite the court rule of no videotaping, recording, or photography announced at the beginning of the trial, an unknown person was videotaping in the court proceedings. An audience member noticed the person's illegal behaviour and pointed it out, and the whole audience started questioning the court about this person, his motive and behaviour, and the legal and safety issues. The chief judge then announced an adjournment due to the chaotic situation.

Relevant personnel:
Liu Jun, Vice Director of the Hecheng District Police Station: +86-13307458588 (Mobile)
Wu Jun, head of the Domestic Security Group of the Hecheng District Police Station: +86-13874491788 (Mobile)
Deng Jinwen, Long Zhihai, Liu Renjie, and Xie Yanxia, officers at the Hecheng District Police Station: organize and forged materials to slander Ms. Chen Kaiyu
Duan Guohui, officer at the Domestic Security Group of the Railway Police Station of Huaihua; involved with making and forging records of interrogation for Ms. Chen
Zeng Youjun & Yang Jinqiao, officers from the Hutian Police Station in the Hecheng District; participated in arresting Ms. Chen
Pan Dongsheng, Director of the No. 2 Detention Centre in Huaihua: +86-13397655201 (Mobile)
Deng Xiaoling, signing authority at the Hecheng District Procuratorate: +86-13034859592 (Mobile)
Li Hua, public procurator: +86-13707452255 (Mobile)
Wang Jingye, Chief Judge, Hecheng District Court: +86-745-2234948(Office)
Yang Jun, Director, 610 Office in Hecheng District: +86-13607412096(Mobile)