(Minghui.org) After Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Wang Guiqi was secretly tried and illegally sentenced by the Tanggu District Court of Tianjin, his family hired two attorneys to appeal the verdict and request a second trial that is open to the public.
The Second Intermediate Court of Tianjin, where the appeal was filed, tried to pressure the attorneys and obstruct an open trial. Nonetheless, the attorneys insisted on having an open trial for their client.
Timeline and Details of the Case
Mr. Wang was arrested for his faith in Falun Gong on November 21, 2012.
On March 21, 2013, without informing his family or giving him a chance to defend himself or hire an attorney, the Tanggu District Court secretly tried him. No verdict was issued at that time. Upon learning of the trial, Mr. Wang's family hired two attorneys to represent him in the future legal proceedings.
On July 29, 2013, Mr. Wang's attorneys received a court judgment, which stated that Mr. Wang was sentenced to 4.5 years of imprisonment.
On August 2, 2013, Mr. Wang and his attorneys appealed to the Tanggu District Court to revsere the unlawful verdict.
On August 30, 2013, the Second Intermediate Court summoned Mr. Wang's attorneys to come in and review the case. It was the first time Mr. Wang's attorneys received permission to review the documents.
Afterward, the attorneys requested an open trial so that Mr. Wang's family and friends could attend the hearing. The court ignored the request.
On September 1 and again on September 16, 2013, the Second Intermediate Court told the attorneys to prepare a written plea to be turned in to the court, in an attempt to evade an open trial. Mr. Wang's attorneys opposed the court's demand; instead, they submitted a written opinion again requesting an open trial. In the document, the attorneys explained both legal and moral reasoning for their request. The court didn't respond.
On September 17, 2013, the Second Intermediate Court notified Mr. Wang's attorneys by phone to come to court on September 22 at 10 a.m., but didn't give any specific reason.
The attorneys thought that the court might hold an unscheduled trial.
On September 22, 2013, at 10 a.m., Mr. Wang's family and friends—26 people altogether—accompanied by the attorneys, went to the judge's office at the Second Intermediate Court.
The judge exclaimed, “I only told your lawyers to come! Why are you all here?” Mr. Wang's sister replied with confidence: “We are Mr. Wang's family members. We have every right to know what happens to my brother. In the past, the Tanggu District Court wantonly sentenced my brother to 8 or 10 years without informing his family. We are here to find out which law he has broken.”
Mr. Wang's family and friends then stepped out of the office and waited in the hallway, while the attorneys tried to reason with the judge. At about 11:15 a.m., the attorneys came out.
According to the attorneys, the judge summoned them to court in order to obtain a copy of the written plea for Mr. Wang, in an attempt to evade an open trial. However, pressured by the attorneys, the judge retreated and said that she would re-evaluate the case. The attorneys expected a final decision from the judge within 10 days.
Related article: Mr. Wang Guiqi from Tianjin City Arrested Again, Wife Still Imprisoned
