(Clearwisdom.net) Officers from the Jiangyou Domestic Security Division illegally arrested Falun Gong practitioners Zhang Qizhong, Mr. Wei Chaohai, Mr. Du Zhijun, Mr. Wang Lianying and Wu Fenglei in September 2009. The Domestic Security officials then worked with the local court and Procuratorate to put the practitioners on trial.

Officials from the Jiangyou City Court in Sichuan Province conducted a court hearing against the five practitioners on August 2, 2010, in which their families were denied entrance to the court. Peng Yongfeng, Liang Xiaojun, Jiang Yibin and Jin Guanghong were the defense lawyers and put forward a strong case, but the practitioners were still sentenced. Zhang Qizhong was sentenced to 9 years, Mr. Wei Chaohai was sentenced to 8 years, Wu Fenglei was sentenced to three and a half years, and Mr. Du Zhijun and Mr. Wang Lianying were sentenced to three years.

On the day of the trial, Wu Fenglei, who was released on bail to seek medical attention, was brought to the court by two police officers. Approximately 300 plainclothes officers, led by Wu Xingming, surrounded the court and took pictures of everyone inside the courtroom.

Court officials used every conceivable means to prevent the practitioners' families from attending the hearing. Ms. Fu Faqun, the younger sister of Mr. Wei Chaohai's wife, said to Yang Liusong, the head of the Domestic Security Division, "You allow the family members of murderers or arsonist's to attend their trials. Why don't you allow us to attend this one? It doesn't make any sense." Yang Liusong answered, "You cannot expect reasonable treatment for Falun Gong practitioners."

When other family members asked the staff in the court as to why they could not attend the trial, they were told that they needed a special permit to attend. However, family members were told the day before that they only needed to bring their ID cards. When the families asked where they could get this permit, they were informed that all the permits had been handed out the day before. The only people allowed into the proceedings were about 30 officers from the Domestic Security Division and the 610 Office.

The trial lasted from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The judges were told how the practitioners' health had improved from practicing Falun Gong, and that by clarifying the truth to other people, they were helping people to see through the communist regime's lies. They said that doing so is not an unlawful act, but is a reflection of one's compassion.

The lawyers pointed out that people have the right to freedom of belief, and that it's completely legal to practice Falun Gong, and that there is no legal evidence to define Falun Gong as a "cult." A lawyer asked, "Since you stated that the practitioners have broken the law, then can you tell us which law they have broken?" The judge and the prosecutor were speechless, but they still sentenced the practitioners.

Yang Liusong arrested Ms. Fu Faqun, sister-in-law of Mr. Wei Chaohai; Ms. Wu Qihui, Mr. Du Zhigun's wife; and Mr. Wang Xianping after the hearing, and took them to Songhualing Brainwashing Center.

Over the past eleven years, Mr. Du Zhijun and his wife Ms. Wu Qihui have been persecuted many times.

Mr. Wei Chaohai's son, Mr. Wei Bing, was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment in 2001, and is still being persecuted in prison.

Mr. Wang Xianping has a lot of crops to harvest, but because he was arrested, no one is left to do it, causing a significant financial loss for him.

Person responsible for the persecution:

Yang Liusong, head of the Domestic Security Division: 86-13508114696 (Cell)