(Minghui.org) Two women from Changchun, Jilin Province were recently tried in back-to-back trials for the same reason. Both are practitioners of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice being persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party.

Judge Dong Yihong, who presided over the hearings on May 28, 2015 at Kuancheng District Court, kept the defense lawyers in the dark about the trials. Ms. Wang Shuyan and Ms. Liu Xiangge boycotted their respective court hearings upon noticing the absence of their lawyers.

As both women refused to answer any questions or make any statements, judge Dong adjourned their sessions without issuing a verdict. The two practitioners remain detained at the time of this writing.

Judge Plays Same Trick with Both Defendants

Ms. Wang was tried first, and immediately pointed out her lawyer's absence. She questioned judge Dong, “I have hired lawyer Xu Fugui from Shandong Province. Where is he?”

Mr. Xu had visited the courthouse only two days before the trial, but judge Dong refused to meet with him or allow him access to Ms. Wang's case documents. Dong also kept the imminent hearing secret from the lawyer.

With her lawyer absent from the hearing, Ms. Wang solemnly declared, “I am not acknowledging anything.” Judge Dong and the prosecutors tried for over ten minutes, but failed to get her to talk again. Dong eventually ended the trial, saying, “In view of the fact that the defendant did not say anything, I will adjourn the trial.”

A similar scene unfolded in the courthouse when it was Ms. Liu's turn to be tried. Ms. Liu could not find her lawyer and said, “I won't answer any questions without my lawyer present.” Her lawyer, Mr. Li from Beijing, had gone to see judge Dong on May 27, but was never informed of the trial scheduled for the very next day.

Ms. Liu's trial was also adjourned within about ten minutes.

Only one family member of each practitioner was allowed into the courtroom after repeated security checks, but the gallery was filled with people sent in by the local authorities. The nearby roads were closed early in the morning, and the courthouse guarded by many uniformed and plainclothes officers, as well as private citizens hired as security guards.

Unmarked cars and plainclothes officers outside of the court

Police cars and guards outside of the court

Private citizens hired as security guards