(Minghui.org) A trial was adjourned after defense attorneys discovered that the prosecutor had illegally been changed before the session.
The four defendants were being tried for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual practice persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Defense attorneys Zhang Chuanli and Li Chunfu from Beijing pled not guilty for Falun Gong practitioners Jiang Hongying and Wang Xiangyu. The trial took place at the Yongning County Court in Ningxia Autonomous Region on July 2, 2015.
Practitioners Jiang Hongying, Ms. Zhao Sumei, Wang Xiangyu and Zhao Yuhu were arrested by Shengli Township police on December 22, 2014.
Attorneys: Practicing Falun Gong Is a Constitutional Right
During the trial, prosecutors claimed that the practitioners had distributed informational materials about Falun Gong. Attorney Li said that the cultivation practice is legal under China's Constitution.
He asked the practitioners why they practiced Falun Gong. All stated that they benefited from Falun Gong physically and mentally. Ms. Zhao also stated that Falun Gong taught her to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
The attorney argued that the Chinese Constitution accords its citizens freedom of speech and belief.
The prosecutors then stated that police found Falun Gong materials at the practitioners' homes. The attorneys argued that not only was the search illegal, but no law criminalizes possession of Falun Gong materials.
Calendars Censored
Ms. Zhao said that she distributed New Years calendars to the public containing information about the Tiananmen Square self-immolation hoax, which was used as part of the communist regime's propaganda campaign against Falun Gong.
The attorney added that the information contained in the calendar is readily available on the Internet.
Illegal Prosecutor Switch
Attorney Zhang then pointed out that the public persecutor present at the trial, surnamed Xu, was different than the one listed in the case file, which was Zhou.
When the attorney asked the court to remove the prosecutor, Xu asked the court to adjourn the trial to allow more evidence collection.
