Mr Chen had been active in Falun Gong activities in Hong Kong where they are legal. He was arrested while visiting his father in mainland China. The charges involved a 2005 case of distributing blacklisted books for which someone else had already been detained. His famuly believes this is an attempt to suppress Falun Gong activities in Hong Kong despite, "One country, two systems."
Wang Bo and her family, noted Falun Gong practitioners, have been used in propaganda films and articles where they supposedly give up and denounce Falun Gong. After Wang Bo managed to get a report published exposing such articles as lies, she and her mother have been imprisoned again.
On January 29, 2008, the Bao'an District Court in Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province held a secret trial and sentenced Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Chen Jinshu from Hong Kong to six years in prison for sending out the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and Falun Gong books. Mr. Chen's family has filed an appeal.
Mr. Chen's older sister in Shenzhen accepted an interview in tears. She said, "My brother is innocent. He is not guilty of any crime just because he practices Falun Gong." The court fabricated evidence to frame her brother and accused him of a case that was closed in 2005.
It was reported that Mr. Chen's family hired a lawyer, and he has brought up many points in his defense. Under pressure from international and domestic pressure, the Bao'an District Court delayed his sentencing twice but refused to allow his family to attend the trials. The court sentenced Mr. Chen on January 29, 2008 without notifying his family.
Lack of Evidence, "Crimes" Forced Upon Him
The prosecutor used "evidence" showing that a Mr. Li Cheng from Hong Kong, representing the Libao Company, shipped more than 2,000 copies of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and more than 100 copies Falun Gong books disguised as plastic film. Four witnesses from the shipping company never saw Mr. Li Cheng, but they said Li Cheng was the same person as Mr. Chen Jinshu, based on the voice they heard over the phone. Mr. Chen's lawyer said that as there was no direct evidence, he should be found innocent.
Mr. Chen's sister stated, "This ridiculous 'case' was closed in 2005, and the shipper and receiver were both convicted and detained. It was considered an important case by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Now this old case is being used to heavily sentence my brother." She said angrily, "Mainland China's court system follows no laws. This sentencing is a disaster for my family."
Media Threatened, Nowhere to Appeal
She further stated, "The CCP is trying to suppress Falun Gong in Hong Kong through the mistreatment of my brother. On the materials the Shenzhen police provided the court, they listed in detail every time my brother joined in Falun Gong activities in Hong Kong, including parades promoting withdrawing from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. They said clearly that my brother had joined Falun Gong or parades promoting withdrawals from the CCP, and that's what caused them to arrest my brother."
"My brother is a Hong Kong resident and has the right to practice Falun Gong or join parades. If my brother, a good person, is being framed like this, how are they following 'One Country, Two Systems?' They are violating human rights," Ms. Chen said tearfully.
Mr. Chen's father, in his 80s, could not bring himself to eat or drink upon hearing about his son being wronged. He lost ten pounds, and his health condition is precarious. The entire family has written letters to the Procuratorate, court, and police department, but they have not received any answers. They have contacted the Southern Metropolitan Newspaper and other media outlets, but the media did not dare to report any Falun Gong-related facts due to the "political sensitivity."
CCP Fears the Nine Commentaries and the Three Withdrawals
Ms. Chen Ruijin, a representative of the Hong Kong Branch of the Global Mission to Rescue Persecuted Falun Gong Practitioners, has been following Mr. Chen Jinshu's case. She said, "The CCP State Security agents began to closely monitor Mr. Chen Jinshu's activities in 2003. They have threatened Mr. Chen's family, saying that Mr. Chen must be a Falun Gong organizer since he always joined Falun Gong activities."
There are currently three Falun Gong practitioners and one family from Hong Kong under custody in mainland China. Apart from Mr. Chen Jinshu, another practitioner, Ms. Lin Lixia, was sentenced to three years in prison on January 8, 2008. Some State Security agents openly declared they would arrest Falun Gong practitioners entering the Mainland from Hong Kong. The root cause is that they fear the popularity of the Nine Commentaries and withdrawing from the CCP and its affiliated organizations, the Communist Youth League and the Young Pioneers [the "Three Withdrawals"].
Mr. Chen Jinshu, 49, went to visit his father in Shenzhen City on April 16, 2007. As he and his father shared a meal in the Fulin Hotel, State Security agents suddenly arrested him and afterwards ransacked his father's home and the factory he works at. On April 17, 2007, the Shenzhen City Police Department sent detention paperwork to his family, saying the reason he was detained was because he practiced Falun Gong. On July 25 and November 25, 2007, the Bao'an District Court held secret trials, and they refused to allow his family to be present.
Ms. Liu Shuqin and Her Daughter Wang Bo Endure Torture at the Hebei Province Women's Prison
Ms. Liu Shuqin and her daughter Wang Bo were detained for several months and then sentenced to four and five years in prison. On June 15, 2007, Ms. Liu and her daughter, both Falun Gong practitioners, were both taken to the Hebei Province Women's Prison. The prison has a brainwashing video they play constantly. The movie alleges that Wang Bo had already given up her practice of Falun Gong. Her arrival in the prison exposed the lies. The Prison Administration paid lots of attention to them, locking them up in solitary confinement.
After enduring many years of mistreatments and persecution, Ms. Liu Shuqin has become very weak, has high blood pressure, and heart disease. According to eyewitnesses, when Ms. Liu first arrived, the guard at the gate forced other prisoners to strip off her T-shirt because the words "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" were printed on it. She was left wearing only a tank top. When she demanded her T-shirt back, the guard punched her.
In the six months of brainwashing sessions, guards forced her to stand facing the wall every day, from breakfast time to 2 a.m. They did not allow her to close her eyes. If she did they would kick her. Ms. Liu continually resisted the torture, then the guards ordered other prisoners to drag her on the floor, back and forth. These prisoners said they were fulfilling tasks assigned by the Prison Administration. The Prison Administration, encouraged and directed prisoners to torture Falun Gong practitioners, and consider such behavior as worthy of merit and special consideration. Guard Zhao said, "Prisoners and guards may mistreat Falun Gong practitioners without any limit."
Ms. Wang Bo, her father Wang Xinzhong and mother Liu Shuqin have been arrested several times, beaten, forced to go through brainwashing sessions, detained, and each was sentenced to three years of forced labor. On April 7, 2002, Wang Bo and her parents were forced to appear on the CCTV program "Focus Forum," to defame Falun Gong. When the program was broadcasting, Ms. Wang Bo found that the CCTV twisted all the facts by manipulating the recordings, thereby misrepresenting her family. On April 8, 2002, an article in the People's Daily named Wang Bo as the author and presented a story full of lies, damaging her family's reputation and morale. Wang Bo was not the author of the article.
Ms. Wang Bo was under house arrest for a very long time. She could not speak for herself to dispel the lies, and was depressed to the point of contemplating suicide.
Ms. Wang Bo was released from house arrest in June 2005 and re-united with her parents. Less than one year later, her family was separated again because of unlawful arrest and detention. Ms. Wang recorded "Cruelty and Deception behind the Focus Forum," (http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2005/12/22/117088.html). From her heart, she spoke to the worlds people and exposed the lies. The CCP sentenced all of her family to 4-5 years in prison, so as to prevent her from further speaking out.