(Minghui.org) A driving instructor in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province was sentenced to three years in prison during a virtual trial on October 22, 2020 for his faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Mr. Wang Guohua, 54, was arrested on October 23, 2019 while teaching a student how to drive in the driving school. He was targeted because he had been reported for telling his driving students about the persecution of Falun Gong.
The police ransacked his home and confiscated his two laptop computers, two cellphones, a printer, and some Falun Gong books and materials. They also sold the car he used for teaching without his permission.
On October 12, 2020, the Xindu District Court informed Mr. Wang’s family that he was scheduled to stand trial from Chengdu City Detention Center through a video conference on October 22.
During Mr. Wang’s trial, the prosecutor listed the items confiscated from him as prosecution evidence.
Mr. Wang’s lawyer responded, “You didn’t identify any criminal evidence on my client’s computer and printer, both of which are the community property co-owned by my client and his family. They can’t be listed as prosecution evidence.”
The lawyer went on to ask whether the prosecutor had read the Falun Gong books and materials. The prosecutor said, “I haven’t read them, but his telling his students that the Chinese Communist Party isn’t good was committing a crime, and he also violated the law by promoting Falun Gong.”
The lawyer said, “My client used to struggle with poor health when he was serving in the army. He tried many medical treatments, but didn’t have much improvement. His health recovered shortly after he began to practice Falun Gong. The Constitution protects one’s freedom of belief and freedom of speech. It’s totally legal for him to own Falun Gong books and materials and to spread information about Falun Gong.”
Right after the lawyer finished his argument, the judge ordered a 15-minute recess. When he resumed the session, he announced the three-year sentence against Mr. Wang.
Mr. Wang has appealed the verdict at the time of writing.
In the past five years, the Xindu District Court has wrongfully sentenced nine Falun Gong practitioners to prison. Ms. Ding Hui, Mr. Lin Xiaoquan, and Mr. Zheng Bin were sentenced in 2016. Ms. Ding suffered a mental collapse due to the torture while in custody. Mr. Feng Guiqing was sentenced in 2017. Ms. Huang Xiangling and Ms. Fu Fazhi were sentenced in 2019. Prior to Mr. Wang’s sentencing, the court had just sentenced both Mr. Chen Yixin and his wife Ms. Zheng Tiaoqiong to 1.5 years on September 24, 2020.
