Attorney Enters a Not-Guilty Plea in the Appeal Case of Ms. Jin Yijun from Lanzhou City

Name: Jin Yijun
Gender: Female
Age: 38
Address: Qilihe District, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province
Occupation: Law professional at a law firm
Date of Most Recent Arrest: December 7th, 2011
Most Recent Place of Detention: Gansu Province Women's Forced Labour Camp
City: Lanzhou
Province: Gansu
Persecution Suffered: Detention, home ransacked, denied visitation, forced labour

Ms. Jin Yijun, a law professional from Lanzhou City, was arrested on December 7th, 2011, and sentenced to one year of forced labour for practising Falun Gong. Her family filed several appeals to secure her release. The Chengguan District Court accepted their case and held a hearing on June 7th, 2012, at the Gansu Province Women's Forced Labour Camp, where Ms. Jin has been detained. Her attorney entered a not-guilty plea on her behalf, but the judge adjourned the session without issuing a verdict.

Ms. Jin Yijun went to Lanzhou Prison to pick up Falun Gong practitioner Shao Yanbo, who had been incarcerated for 8 years, on December 7th, 2011. She was followed and arrested by officers from the Domestic Security Division in Lanzhou City. Ms. Jin was sentenced to one year of forced labour and sent to the Gansu Province Women's Forced Labour Camp on January 5th, 2012.

Ms. Jin's family submitted an appeal to the Provincial Forced Labor Committee. However, the committee upheld the original sentence on May 9th. The family filed an appeal against the committee's decision at the Chengguan District Court on May 18th. On May 23rd, the family received the court's official notice that their case was accepted.

The court scheduled a hearing for June 7th, at the Chengguan District Court building in Lanzhou City. One day ahead of the hearing, the defence lawyer insisted that his client must appear in court, but court officials refused to allow it. The lawyer argued that this did not conform to legal procedures. After his persistent demands, the court finally conceded. The venue of the hearing was then changed to the Gansu Province Women's Forced Labour Camp, where Ms. Jin Yijun has been detained.

The court session opened at 9 a.m on June 7th. The defence lawyer presented clear evidence and sound reasoning to demonstrate Ms. Jin's innocence. Forced labour camp guards were present during his defence.

The judge did not say a word in reply to the defence before quickly adjourning the session, claiming that his superior had notified him to attend a meeting.

Related articles:

“Legal Professional Ms. Jin Yijun from Lanzhou City Files Case Against Her Forced Labor Sentence”

http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2012/6/7/133840.html

“Law Professional Jin Yijun Sent to a Forced Labour Camp”

http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2012/2/8/131329.html#.T9WJFfkrpTI

“Legal Officer Arrested and Detained at Lanzhou Detention Centre--Her Family Worried”

http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2012/1/22/130878.html#.T9WJrfkrpTJ