Report on a Trial Held in Mudanjiang City Agriculture and Reclamation Administrative Bureau Court

The Mudanjiang City Agriculture and Reclamation Administrative Bureau Court was called into session at 8:30 a.m. on November 6th, 2008, to try Falun Gong practitioners Mr. Yang Dianjun, his wife Ms. Ba Fenglian, and Ms. Zhang Chengyu and her husband (a non-practitioner). The practitioners defended themselves by stating that personal beliefs are protected by the Chinese Constitution and that it is not a crime to practise Falun Gong. In addition, five lawyers presented arguments and entered innocent pleas. Ms. Zhang Chengyu's husband had a defence lawyer, and four colleagues testified on his behalf. The debates were intense and heated on both sides. About seventy people, including more than thirty family members, attended the trial. The session ended at 5:30 p.m.

The court had claimed beforehand that the trial was public, and two days before the trial, when bailiff Luan was questioned on this matter, he said that anyone would be allowed to attend. However, on the day of the trial, attendees were required to show their ID cards, and after a while even people with ID cards were not allowed to enter. In addition, attendees were closely scrutinized by the bailiffs. Someone asked Zhang, the deputy director of the court, why, contrary to previous information, attendees were suddenly required to show their ID cards. Zhang said, "This is the court's policy. We may formulate policy at will and you have no other choice but to follow it."

At noon, when the court was adjourned for lunch, someone noticed that the defendants, who were temporarily detained in Room 110 were not allowed to eat lunch. Family and audience members requested from the court that they should be provided with food. After many arguments, the bailiffs reluctantly agreed to provide them with food but no water.

During the afternoon court session, the defendants were brought in and out of the courtroom with their hands cuffed behind their backs, wearing only thin clothes and shoes, despite the cold weather. Some family members requested that the practitioners be allowed more appropriate clothes, but the bailiffs firmly denied the request.

After 3:00 p.m., deputy director Zhang went into the hallway to drive away around 100 people who asked to be admitted to the trial. He said to them, "Your persistence will do you no good. You are gathering illegally. Get out of here immediately." Video monitors are installed on the first and second floor of the courthouse, in the holding cell, and in the waiting areas. In addition, there are intercoms in the hallway to monitor people.

In the afternoon, Mr. Zhang Chengyu's lawyer argued from a position of the universal meaning of human rights and freedom of belief, demonstrating that his client had never violated any law, and pointing out that the "evidence" presented by the public prosecutor was full of flaws. The judge interrupted the defence lawyer many times with rude remarks, including "shut up" and "get out of here." Despite this, the lawyer managed to finish his defence.

When Mr. Yang Dianjun's lawyer was defending his innocence, the public prosecutor broke in and questioned the personal integrity of the lawyer. A lawyer from Jixi City then clearly told the public prosecutor that the defence lawyer was not on trial, and the comments were irrelevant. The public prosecutor did not respond, so the defence continued.

The other three lawyers indicated during their defence that they agreed with the defence viewpoints of the first two lawyers, whom the prosecution criticized. They then began to expound their concrete defence arguments.

Throughout the proceedings, family, friends and relatives of the defendants patiently stood in the hallway.

Mudanjiang City Agriculture and Reclamation Administrative Bureau Court:

Luan Qingli, presiding judge: 86-467-5063535 (office)
Zhang Yukun, court director: 86-13339563857 (mobile), 86-467-5063957 (office)
Zhang Min, deputy court director: 86-467-5063969 (office)
Lu Chunling (female), criminal court director and presiding judge: 86-467-5063000 (office)
Ren Yingwu, judge: 86-467-5061531 (home)
Yan Zhongzhe, 86-467-5063238 (home), 86-13136945857(mobile)
Zou Minghui, clerk: 86-467-5062703 (office)
Chen Xiangjun, chief of local 610 Office: 86-467-5085857

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2008/11/10/189524.html