(Minghui.org) More than 100 residents in Baoji City, Shaanxi Province recently gathered outside a local courthouse to support Mr. Wang Quanlu, who was being tried for suing former Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin for launching the persecution of Falun Gong.
Like Mr. Wang, these supporters also practice Falun Gong. As the police van carrying Mr. Wang arrived at the courthouse, they started chanting “Stop persecuting Falun Gong,” which attracted much attention from the passers-by.
Though two of the supporters were arrested by police, the rest were not deterred and kept telling the officers and passers-by why Jiang must be brought to justice.
While not allowed to observe the trial, the supporters stood outside during the entire hearing. Kang Bo, head of the 610 Office in Baoji City, had more than ten police officers videotape them.
When a female practitioner took a photo of the police, officers converged on her. They seized her camera and dragged her into a police van. When other practitioners saw this, they decided not to allow her to be taken away. They went inside the van and pulled her out.
More police were called to the scene from nearby police stations, and plainclothes police also walked around among the crowd, creating an atmosphere of terror.
Two Falun Gong practitioners were arrested at the scene. One is an elderly man who was arrested for having a copy of Falun Gong's main teachings, Zhuan Falun, on him. He was released after 9:00 pm that evening. The other practitioner is Mr. Zhao Yonglin from Gongsi Village. He was arrested when he gave two DVDs to another practitioner. He was dragged into a police van and severely beaten. His current situation is unclear.
The rest of the practitioners were not deterred. They distributed informational materials about Falun Gong and explained why Jiang lacked any legal basis for starting the persecution of the peaceful practice. Some police officers decided to quit the CCP and its associated organizations after talking to the practitioners.
During the trial, Mr. Wang defended his constitutional right to practice and spread information about his spiritual belief Falun Gong. He also explained why Jiang must be brought to justice for his persecution of Falun Gong. The judge adjourned the session without issuing a verdict.
In 1999, Jiang Zemin, as head of the Chinese Communist Party, overrode other Politburo standing committee members and launched the violent suppression of Falun Gong.
The persecution has led to the deaths of many Falun Gong practitioners in the past 16 years. More have been tortured for their belief and even killed for their organs. Jiang Zemin is directly responsible for the inception and continuation of the brutal persecution.
Under his personal direction, the Chinese Communist Party established an extralegal security organ, the 610 Office on June 10, 1999. The organization overrides police forces and the judicial system in carrying out Jiang's directive regarding Falun Gong: to ruin their reputations, cut off their financial resources, and destroy them physically.
Chinese law allows for citizens to be plaintiffs in criminal cases, and many practitioners are now exercising that right to file criminal complaints against the former dictator.