Lawyer Yang Zaixin Threatened After Initiating Lawsuit For Falun Gong Practitioners

Liu Ruping, who is a Falun Gong practitioner and a lawyer in Jinan City, Shandong Province of China, was sent to a labor camp for publishing a public statement supporting Falun Gong. Liu Ruping's family members didn't agree with that verdict. They entrusted another lawyer from Guangxi Province, Yang Zaixin, to start an administrative lawsuit. On January 12, Lawyer Yang Zaixin and Liu's family members tried to meet with Liu Ruping and institute an administrative lawsuit, but were illegally obstructed. Yang Zaixin was even threatened.

Threatened for Appealing for Liu Ruping

In the morning of Jan 12, lawyer Yang Zaixin and Liu Rupin's family members brought an indictment and power of attorney documents to the Second Labor Camp of Zibo City, Shandong Province. They requested to meet with Liu Ruping and discuss related business, but were refused.

In the afternoon, lawyer Yang and Liu Ruping's family members went to the Jinan City Central District Court to institute an administrative lawsuit for Liu Ruping's case but were refused by the court. Sun Wei, who is responsible for the court case registrations, said that Falun Gong cases cannot be registered. There were a few similar cases last year which were not registered as well. Lawyer Yang has already had all necessary and related materials delivered to the court. He plans to continue negotiating with the Shandong Province Labor Camp Committee.

Yang Zaixin expressed during an interview with the Epoch Times that what the labor camp did is illegal. According to the law, family members have the rights to see the party and go through normal procedures. Liu Ruping's first being held and then sent to a labor camp is illegal as well. Criminal detention is wrong because Liu Ruping's behavior did not constitute a crime.

He pointed out that the labor camp not only refused them to meet with Liu, but also refused to pass the indictment paper and the power of attorney documents to Liu Ruping for signature. They even threatened Yang, “You must be a Falun Gong practitioner, [as] you have sympathy for Falun Gong. We will report you and arrest you.”

Background:

Liu Ruping graduated on July 1982 with a major in Agriculture Business Administration from Shandong Agricultural University. He once worked for the planning committee of the Changqing District, Jinan City. He passed the National Lawyer Bar Exam and was authorized to practice law in October, 1993. He worked as lawyer for the Tianqi Law Firm and the Shuntian Law firm in Shandong Province.

On October 17, 2005, because of posting the “Falun Dafa Association Announcement” in a public place, Liu Ruping was kidnapped and detained by the Dongguan Police Station of Changqing District, Jinan City. His house was searched and his properties were confiscated. Later, he was sent to a brainwashing class in Jinan City to receive forceful transformation. Liu Ruping's 84-year-old father could not bear the news and died of a cerebral hemorrhage on November 15, 2005. Liu Ruping went back home for the funeral. He refused to go back to the brainwashing classes and became homeless to avoid further persecution.

On November 25, 2005 Liu Ruping published the article – Immediately Stop the forced Transformation of Falun Gong Practitioners . It revealed how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities illegally kidnap citizens, send them to the “Transformation Classes” and force them to give up their belief.

Liu Ruping stated toward the end of the article: “As a lawyer, I am faithful to the laws and want to defend justice in society. I strongly urge the government to stop the forced brainwashing of Falun Gong practitioners. I speak not only from the conscience of a courageous Chinese person, but also from my fundamental mission as a member of the legal profession in China.”

On December 7, 2005 the CCP authorities forced Tao Xiangying, the director of the Shuntian Law Firm to ask Liu Ruping to come to work. They then kidnapped him secretly and sent him to the brainwashing classes in Jinan City. On December 14, 2005, as Liu Ruping refused to be “reformed”, he was later sent to the Zibo City Wangcun Labor Camp for one year and three months' labor education.