(Minghui.org) Less than two years after Mr. Zhu Zuoxin was released from a 4.5-year prison term for not renouncing his faith in Falun Gong, he was arrested and faces prison time again.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual and meditation discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
For holding firm to his faith, Mr. Zhu, a resident of Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, has been repeatedly arrested, harassed and detained in the past 20 years.
His latest arrest was on August 27, 2018, after he was reported for talking to seven students about Falun Gong.
The police initially put him on administration detention for 15 days and then changed it to criminal detention.
Mr. Zhu appeared in Wucheng District Court on August 22, 2019 after one year of detention. His lawyer entered a not-guilty plea for him.
The prosecutor charged him with “undermining law enforcement with a cult organization,” a standard pretext used by the Chinese authorities to frame and sentence Falun Gong practitioners.
He also accused Mr. Zhu of promoting Falun Gong and persuading people to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party’s membership.
Mr. Zhu’s lawyer argued that freedom of belief is a basic right granted by the Chinese Constitution and that it was within his client’s right to freedom of expression to tell people about his faith and urge them to quit the Party.
“It’s ridiculous if you accuse my client of undermining law enforcement just because he said a few words,” the lawyer said.
Mr. Zhu also testified in his own defense about how Falun Gong improved his health and morality. He denied any wrongdoing in practicing Falun Gong.
The judge adjourned the hearing without issuing a verdict.
Related reports:
Mr. Zhu Zuoxin Hospitalized in Zhejiang No. 4 Prison
Mr. Zhu Zuoxin and Mr. Cao Baoxian Imprisoned and Deprived of Visitation Rights
