Mr. Li's family and attorneys are harassed and interfered with as they attempt to attend his trial.

Mr. Li Zhigang Illegally Tried in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province (Photos) 

Nangang District Court in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, under the instruction of the Harbin 610 Office, held an illegal trial of Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Li Zhigang on October 30, 2009.

Mr. Li Zhigang

On the day of the trial, the government dispatched a large number of policemen and also changed the place to Wanggang Town in the rural suburb of Harbin. The Wanggang Town Court was closed to the public on that day.

Policemen and police cars inside the court during the secret trial of Mr. Li Zhigang

Mr. Li Zhigang was born on March 10, 1971. On February 28, 2009, Mr. Li was arrested at his home by policemen Li Shuxin from the Harbin 610 Office, Wang Liguo and Hao Xidong from the Domestic Security Team of Nangang District Police Precinct, and Ma Liang and Li Zhijie from Xinghe Road Police Station, Nangang District. On March 8, 2009, Mr. Li was taken to a secret location for three days of interrogation under brutal torture. He was taken back to a detention center after he had been severely tortured and was near death.

After Mr. Li Zhigang was arrested, his family hired an attorney from Beijing to defend him. However, that attorney experienced obstruction from the court, including not being allowed to meet with Mr. Li, not being allowed to review his case, and being ordered not to defend Mr. Li Zhigang. Judge Song Chengzhang didn't send written notification to his attorney prior to the court trial, which is a required legal procedure. Song only called Mr. Li's other defense attorney Mr. Li Changming on October 28 to inform him of the trial on October 30. Attorney Li almost could not make it to the trial because of a previously arranged trial in another province.

At 8:15 a.m. on October 30, Mr. Li Zhigang's parents and defense attorneys arrived at Nangang District Court. Then they were told that there had been an internal announcement on October 28, 2009 that all cases related to Falun Gong practitioners will be tried at Wanggang Town Court. Both Mr. Li's mother and Attorney Li called Song Chengzhang, but Song denied the trial site change. Fifteen minutes later, Mr. Li's parents, defense attorneys, and relatives tried to enter Nangang District Court, but they were stopped by the guards. Mr. Li's mother called Song Chengzhang again. Song came out and took Mr. Li's parents, the two attorneys, and Chief Judge Yan Xiaoshuang in a minivan (plate number Black AA608 Police) to Wanggang Town Court.

After arriving at the Wanggang Town Court, the police violated the law by conducting body-searches of the defense attorneys. Though the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claimed it an "open trial," only Mr. Li's parents were allowed to enter the court. Mr. Li's other relatives and friends were kept outside.

Prohibited from entering the courtroom, Mr. Li's relatives stand outside the gate

The locked gate, though the CCP called it an "open trial"

Mr. Li Zhigang was put in handcuffs and shackles while being escorted into the court by two policemen. Chief Judge Yan Xiaoshuang asked, "Defendant Li Zhigang?" Mr. Li didn't answer at first. Then he said, "I am not a defendant. I am a person being persecuted. I was illegally arrested. I don't acknowledge your court. You don't have the right to try me."

When Mr. Li's attorneys asked him whether he had been tortured during interrogation and later defended his innocence based on the law, Yan Xiaoshuang and Song Chengzhang interrupted them many times.

The prosecutor of Nangang District Procuratorate Wang Baolong provided a criminal complaint. Wang knew that they didn't have a reason to bring Mr. Li to the court, so he spoke fewer than five sentences during the trial. Chief Judge Yan Xiaoshuang and Judge Song Chengzhang couldn't respond to the defense attorneys' sound case in their defense of Mr. Li's innocence.

Attorney Li Changming pointed out in his defense, "Everyone with a little knowledge of the criminal law knows that the criminal law only punishes action. Thought (religion) itself does not constitute crime. That's an immutable law of the criminal justice system. Religion only belongs to the thought level. A citizen should not be treated unfairly for upholding a certain religion; the religion itself or holding a belief in a religion does not constitute a crime and thus should not be punished. According to criminal law principles, the defense attorney believes that Mr. Li Zhigang has not committed any crime. We hope the judge makes a just finding of innocence."