(Minghui.org) Ms. Zhao Shuxia, a 79-year-old Falun Gong practitioner from Fuyu City, Jilin Province, was tried in her own home.
About two dozen people broke into her home on March 30, 2016. They filled the whole house and the courtyard, creating a tense and intimidating situation. Onlookers crowded the street in front of the house and watched.
Court in Session
Someone in the house announced that “court was in session.” Another read the charges against Ms. Zhao. She was accused of possessing 1,400 copies of Falun Gong informational materials and the alleged crime of “undermining the implementation of law,” a generic law used to convict practitioners.
“I have committed no crime,” she said. “Falun Gong is blameless. It is Jiang Zemin (the former Chinese dictator) who has violated China's laws. The informational materials contain only facts, and it is not a crime to possess them.”
The trial lasted an hour. At the end, the judge told Ms. Zhao, “We will report it to the higher court and sentence you to prison. We will be back.”
People in Shock
The people listening could not believe that a 79-year-old lady had been placed on trial and would be sentenced to prison.
“What is wrong with practicing Falun Gong?” said one person. “They become healthy and are good people. Those corrupt officials, on other hand, do all sorts of bad things.”
“It’s terrible,” said another. “Punishing someone for being a good person? The Communist Party is doomed.”
Ms. Zhao's family is trying to hire a lawyer to represent her to ensure justice is served.
Monitored and Harassed
Zhang Lijun, chief of the Xinan Street Police Station, and six officers went to Ms. Zhao's home on May 19, 2015.
Without showing any identification or a search warrant, they ransacked the house. They confiscated 1,200 yuan (~$185 USD) in paper money that had truth-clarification information written on them, some informational pamphlets, and 38 Falun Gong books.
They tried to arrest her, but she told them that she had not done anything wrong and resisted. The police gave up.
The police ordered the local residential committee to monitor Ms. Zhao. She was followed everywhere she went. Agents from the justice bureau, the court, and the police station repeatedly went to her home to harass her.
They tried to find the source of the paper bills with information printed on them and the Falun Gong informational materials. They threatened Ms. Zhao: “We will put you in prison if you don't tell us. You will die in prison.”
They also forced her two sons to sign some documents. Ms. Zhao and her family are now fearful and under extreme stress.
