(Minghui.org) Ms. Liu Guohua was tried in Binchuan County Court in Yunnan Province on January 24, 2013. Although she and her attorney made a strong defense and the court had no reply, she was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
Not until six months later did her family find out about her sentence. Prison authorities have yet to let the family see her.
Ms. Liu is a 45-year-old farmer at Taihe Farm, in Binchuan County. She began practicing Falun Gong in 2007 and experienced great physical and mental benefits.
Arrest
Ms. Liu was arrested by Qiaodian Town police for giving out Shen Yun Performing Arts DVDs to residents of Qiaodian Town at 4:00 p.m. on July 24, 2012. Political and Legal Affairs Committee secretary Ye Yong gave the orders. Her home was ransacked at 6:00 p.m. by over ten people, including Yang Yu, captain of the Binchuan County Domestic Security Team; Zhang Jianyang from the Binchuan County 610 Office; and Xiang Yongxiang, Li Kunhua, and Li Yanping from the Domestic Security Team.
Ms. Liu was then taken to the Binchuan County Detention Center. Personnel from the 610 Office and Taihe Farm leaders pressured her to give up her belief. They wanted her to sign a guarantee statement. The 610 Office, public security, and legal system conspired to sentence her.
Trial
The Binchuan County Court put Ms. Liu on trial on January 24, 2013. Procuratorate prosecutors Yang Yongjun and Yang Yanyan charged her with “Using a cult to undermine law enforcement.” Ms. Liu pointed out that the Shen Yun DVD promotes China's 5000-year-old culture and reproduces the essence of the Divine culture. She stated that there was no harm in giving away Shen Yun DVDs to villagers. She did not commit a crime by being a good person who lives according to Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance.
Ms. Liu's attorney defended her innocence by pointing out that freedom of belief is a constitutional right, and that Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance are universal values. He stated that Ms. Liu gave away Shen Yun DVDs in good faith, and that what she did was not a crime.
The court official had no reply and did not pass judgement that day. On March 7, 2013, the court issued its verdict, sentencing Ms. Liu to prison for three years and six months. She was secretly transferred to the Yunnan Province No. 2 Women's Prison on April 15.
Family Visits Denied
Binchuan County Detention Center conceal information about Ms. Liu from her family, who made many inquiries. They only recently learned that Ms. Liu had been imprisoned for more than six months. The prison would not allow her family to visit her.
Not long ago, Ms. Liu's family appealed to the Yunnan Province Bureau of Prisons. The staff there promised to arrange a visit if a family member wrote a statement agreeing to assist the prison in "transforming" Ms. Liu. They were eager to see her and agreed. However, they were told by the guard that a meeting could not be arranged. Her family realized that Chinese Communist Party officials had deceived them and regretted writing the statement.
The Yunnan Province No. 2 Women's Prison called Ms. Liu's family several days later to arrange a visit, but needed permission from the Binchuan 610 Office. Her family went to see Zhang Jianyang, the director of the Binchuan 610 Office. Zhang Jianyang repeated the prevarication, then refused to see them or take calls. Ms. Liu's family has yet to see her.
Parties Involved in the Persecution of Ms. Liu:
Zhang Jianyang, director of the Binchuan 610 Office: +86-13987218414 (Cell), +86-872-7147783 (Office)
Ye Yong, secretary of Political and Legal Affairs Committee of Qiaodian Town, Binchuan County: +86-13577858819 (Cell)
Captain Yang Yu, police officers Xiang Yongxiang, Li Kunhua, Li Yanping from Binchuan
Domestic Security Team
Prosecutors Yang Yongjun, Wang Suhui, Yang Yanyan from Binchuan County Prosecutor's Office
Presiding judge Xu Weikan, judges Yang Zhengliang and Jia Jizhong, clerk Jiang Zhiliang from Binchuan County Court
Related article:
Ms. Liu Guohua Arrested, Not Allowed to See Lawyer
Yunnan Province Authorities Detain Ms. Liu Guohua for Over 6 Months
