(Minghui.org) The Yi County Court in Hebei Province retried Ms. Wu Guimin on May 16, 2016, and a new judge was assigned to her case. However, the prosecutor from the first trial charged her again with “using a cult to undermine law enforcement,” a generic accusation used by the Chinese communist regime against Falun Gong practitioners.
Ms. Wu’s attorney made a strong defense. Ms. Wu also spoke in her own defense and demanded to be released immediately.
At Ms. Wu’s first trial on April 30, the presiding judge, Du Qiguo, did not maintain order in the court and clearly showed his support for the prosecutor. Du refused to allow Attorney Li Zhongwei to defend his client and ordered the bailiff to remove him from the courtroom. He also would not let Ms. Wu speak in her own defense.
Lawyer Files Complaint Against Judge
After the first trial, Attorney Li filed a complaint with the Baoding Municipal Intermediate Procuratorate in Hebei Province, which oversees the Yi County Court.
Li demanded that Du be held accountable for violating legal procedure, issue a Procuratorate opinion to the Yi County Court, and order the Yi County Court to re-try Ms. Wu Guimin. The court ordered a new trial and assigned a new judge, but kept the same prosecutor.
Rebuttal of Prosecutor's Accusation
Ms. Wu's attorney said that the prosecutor's accusation lacked legal basis. He pointed out that only the National CPC (Chinese People's Congress) can make laws in China, and it has never enacted any law that criminalizes Falun Gong. Which means the persecution was illegal from the outset. In addition, a prosecutor cannot use administrative documents from the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate to indict and charge people. As for the 610 Office, it is an extra-legal agency that overrides the judicial system, but has no legal authority.
The confiscated items, noted the attorney, are Ms. Wu’s lawful possessions and cannot be used as evidence against her.
Ms. Wu said that practicing Falun Gong and the possession of Falun Gong informational materials cause no harm to anyone, let alone undermine law enforcement.
At the end of the trial, the prosecutor recommended a three-year prison term. When the judge asked for the defense attorney's recommendation, he said that Ms. Wu was innocent and should be released immediately. The judge announced that a decision would be rendered at a later date.
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