In another example of Chinese justice, three women are tried twice and, because of obviously forged evidence exposed by their defense attorney, they are not sentenced. They are not released but are given a third trial in which they are not allowed to testify nor to have an attorney. At this trial they received 3 to 6 year sentences. They have not been allowed to see their families throughout this process.

Innocent Women from Hebei Province Sentenced (Photos)

On October 30, 2008, Li County Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Committee members, 610 Office personnel, and Baoding City Court in Hebei Province put Falun Gong practitioners Ms. Cui Xiaoxian, Ms. Cui Shumei, and Ms. Feng Wenzhen on trial. They did not allow the defendants to speak to their attorneys or allow the attorneys to defend the practitioners. CCP personnel illegally sentenced Ms. Feng to six years, Ms. Cui Xiaoxian to three years, and Ms. Cui Shumei to three years. Their families are preparing to appeal.

Before this, the CCP Committee Assistant Secretary Ning Hongmao, the CCP Political and Judiciary Committee Secretary Ma Yimin, the 610 Office Head Zhang Yuexian and others forced Li County court to put the three women on trial twice, but closed the cases hastily because the defense lawyer revealed that the evidence was forged. The practitioners should have been released, but Ning Hongmao ordered them detained while officials continued to try to sentence them.

Feng Wenzhen

Cui Shumei

Cui Xiaoxian

Ms. Feng Wenzhen, a 52-year-old resident of Nanguan Village, Chengguan Town, Li County, conducted herself according to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance after she began to practice Falun Dafa in1998. Her serious bronchitis, foot problems, and so on all disappeared. She became healthy, her temper improved, and she became kinder.

Ms. Cui Shumei, a 58-year-old resident of Nanguan Village, Chengguan Town, Li County, began to practice Falun Gong in 2003. Before this, she had a short temper and poor health. All her fingers were disfigured and she often had cramps when she stretched her legs while sleeping at night. Her appetite was not good and she frequently had diarrhea in the middle of the night. Within three months of practicing Falun Gong, all her diseases disappeared. Her relatives and friends all say she has a better temper and health.

Ms. Cui Xiaoxian, a 63, used to work at the County Environment Protection Bureau. She began to practice Falun Gong after she retired in 1998. She had many diseases: varicose veins and cervical problems and problems with her arms and legs. After she started to practice Falun Gong, all of her diseases vanished, her temperament improved, and she treated others very kindly. After the CCP started to persecute Falun Gong in 1999, she was often harassed. She became destitute to avoid persecution and was not even able to arrange her son's wedding. Her family is still being harassed by CCP personnel.

On September 19, 2007, Wang Junchang, leader of the domestic security team of Li County Police Department, and a group of policemen arrested Ms. Cui Xiaoxian, Ms. Cui Shumei, and Ms. Feng Wenzhen. They ransacked the women's homes and confiscated their private property. On December 24, 2007, Li County court tried the women for the first time and found that the evidence was insufficient. Wang Junchang violated legal procedures when he ransacked their homes, had no third party witness, and had no detailed list of confiscated property or family member's signature. When Ms. Cui Xiaoxian's home was ransacked, her husband, Zhang Xiangrui, did sign a list that included "a book" and "several empty CD boxes." The list he signed was then amended. He wrote a supporting document, sent it to the police station, the procuratorate, and the court, and demanded to confront Wang Junchang face-to-face. When confronted with the facts, Wang Junchang had to admit that he altered "one book" to "100 books," "empty CD boxes" to "370 CDs and 50 cassettes," and added extra items.

After the first trial ended in failure, Wang Junchang again forged evidence--this time, "seven certificates"--and the second trial was held on June 17, 2008. The seven certificates overrode all of the forged evidence from the first trial. However, the new evidence was even less able to hold up under scrutiny. Confronted with questions from the attorney in court, the judges were stunned. The date of the forged evidence was September 15, 2007, but the three practitioners were arrested on September 19, 2007. That is to say, four days before they were taken away, the police had already found "evidence" in their homes. The first and second pieces of "evidence" were both provided by the domestic security team. This evidence, however, proved contradictory to the other evidence.

Li County CCP personnel forced the court to put the three practitioners on trial twice. Because their defense lawyer revealed that evidence had been fabricated by policeman Wang Junchang, they had to wind things up hastily. The three practitioners have been detained for over a year now. Their family members have made requests to visit many times but so far have been denied permission. As of today, the "illegally detained" practitioners have yet to see their families.