(Minghui.org) Ms. Zong Huiqing, a Falun Gong practitioner from Pingdu, Qingdao City, is nearly 70 years old. She was put on trial on March 13, 2013, for clarifying the facts about Falun Gong to people. The court insisted on trying her without a defense attorney present.
The judge allegedly reached a verdict within two weeks after the trial. However, Ms. Zong's family has not been informed of the decision as of this writing.
Background
Ms. Zong was illegally arrested on August 15, 2012, for speaking to people on the street about Falun Gong. Officials from the Taishan Road Police Station demanded 20,000 yuan to release her without filing any charge. Ms. Zong's family paid the illicit fee.
The police arrested Ms. Zong again for speaking to people about Falun Gong on November 27, 2012. They again demanded that her family pay a large sum, but the family refused, questioning why Ms. Zong was arrested again when they had paid the police chief 20,000 yuan only three months earlier.
The police chief Ma Guochun denied having accepted the money and quickly transferred Ms. Zong to the Jimo No. 3 Detention Center the next day. After Ms. Zong's family repeatedly raised questions about the money, the chief returned the 20,000 yuan to avoid potential disciplinary action.
Shortly after the Chinese communist regime had launched a violent campaign to suppress Falun Gong in July 1999, Ms. Zong was arrested and detained for exercising her constitutional right to appeal for the right to practice Falun Gong. She then quit the practice for fear of the persecution. However, she held on to her belief and decided to resume the practice in the spring of 2011.
Millions Persecuted for Their Faith
Many Falun Gong practitioners just like Ms. Zong are currently detained in forced labor camps, prisons, detention centers and brainwashing centers in China for their spiritual belief. Oftentimes, they are brutally tortured both physically and mentally.
The Chinese Constitution guarantees freedom of belief, as well as freedom of speech and legal representation in a court of law. Yet, the communist regime continues to disregard the law and deny Chinese citizens basic human rights.
We hope that kindhearted people around the world will join efforts to help put an end to this senseless persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.
