(Minghui.org) Over 20 officers from the Laishui County Police Department went to the home of Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Shan Xinyan at 7:00 p.m. on December 3, 2013. The police claimed that they needed to gather further information regarding another Falun Gong practitioner, Mr. Xin Tingchao, and would let her go after that. However, Ms. Shan was taken to a detention center instead.
Mr. Xin Tingchao was tried in the Wenyuhe Court in Beijing the day before. Over a dozen of Mr. Xin's family and friends traveled from their hometown to attend the trial. Except for Mr. Xin's wife, daughter, and sister, none of the others were allowed in the courtroom. The police detained Mr. Xin's family and friends for an hour after the trial ended.
Mr. Xin's Trial
Mr. Xin from Laishui County, Hebei Province, went to Beijing to work when he was not working on his farm, and gave an elderly lady a Shen Yun Performing Arts DVD on June 14, 2013. He was reported and arrested. He was taken to the Chaoyang Detention Center, and then to the Beijing No. 1 Detention Center, and back to the Chaoyang Detention Center. The detention center refused to allow his family to visit him.
Wenyuhe Court in the Chaoyang District tried Mr. Xin at 9:30 a.m. on December 2. Mr. Xin was monitored by two police officers during the trial. His wife, daughter, and sister were also monitored by two officers.
Mr. Xin was charged with using a heretical organization to undermine the implementation of law. Two defending lawyers pleaded not guilty on his behalf.
Family and Friends Detained for Going to the Trial
Over a dozen of Mr. Xin's family and friends traveled from their hometown to attend the trial. At first, one police car was parked in front of the courthouse. Later there were five police cars and several unidentified cars without number plates. Some officers took photos and videotaped Mr. Xin's family and friends while they were getting on and off the rental bus.
Mr. Xin's family and friends were hoping that Mr. Xin would be acquitted and come home with them after the trial. The judge adjourned the proceedings at 12:40 p.m..
The police detained Mr. Xin's family, relatives, and friends at 1:30 p.m. Several police officers went on the bus and asked them to show their identification cards. They were detained for an hour at the Louzizhuang Police Station, which is 160 feet away from the courthouse. The officers cursed at the passengers on the bus. One of Mr. Xin's friends said, “You should follow the law. ” One officer replied, “What are you going to do about it if I don't?”
Two cars followed the bus until they left Beijing.
Earlier Reports:
Over One Thousand Sign Petition to Rescue Falun Gong Practitioner Xin Tingchao
Mr. Xin Tingchao Detained in Beijing for Over Two Months
Mr. Xin Tingchao Arrested in Beijing for Distributing Shen Yun Performing Arts DVDs
