VOA Chinese May 18, 2012 Journalist: Ye Bing 叶兵 from Washington Translated by ChinaAid
After hearing about the setbacks experienced by the lawyers authorized by his nephew Chen Kegui’s family in Yinan, Chen Guangcheng at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital said what the Yinan police told the lawyers was a shameless fraud. He cited the example that he himself was imposed with legal assistance lawyers a few years ago and ended up being convicted and given a sentence, indicating that the Yinan authorities pulled that trick again on Chen Kegui’s case.
(Photo: Shandong blind rights activist Chen Guangcheng)
Chen Guangcheng: an old trick replayed; despicable means applied
Chen Guangcheng told Voice of America on Friday night that if the Yinan authorities rejected the involvement of the two lawyers authorized by Chen Kegui’s family without showing them paperwork proving that Chen Kegui agreed to accept the lawyers appointed by the authorities, then this was exactly what he experienced when he was charged with “obstructing traffic and damaging public properties” in 2006. He called this kind of practice vile and shameless.
He said, “It’s absolutely a fraud. When I heard about it, I couldn’t help but think how they persecuted me in the same way in 2006. To prevent my lawyer from seeing me, they appointed me lawyers by force. According to law, as long as I don’t give my assent to it, they must go to the lawyer I approved. But they did not do that according to the law. They just forced upon me the lawyer I did not approve to be my defender and held the trial by force.
Chen Guangcheng also said, “During the court proceedings, the lawyer they appointed only said one sentence. To all the evidence brought up by the Prosecutor, he would “no objections”. This is the only thing he said throughout the trial. So, they tried the case by themselves, made a verdict by themselves, and did the defense by themselves. It was just so hateful. That’s how they did it in 2006. And some officials from the court had someone tell me that there wasn’t a slightest chance for me to meet with a lawyer from Beijing.
The blind rights activist who was sentenced to four years and three months in prison by Yinan Court for helping villagers fight against the unlawful and inhumane practices in the implementation of China’s One Child Policy. Now his nephew Chen Kegui is in exactly the same situation as he was in 2006 before he was convicted guilty and given a sentence.
Lie exposed? Legal Assistance Center denied what was said by Yinan police
On Friday morning, Yinan police claimed that two lawyers from Yinan Legal Assistance Center had been appointed to defend Chen Kegui, but the director of this Legal Assistance Center, Mr. Yin confirmed with Voice of America later in the day that no lawyers from his agency was involved in Chen Kegui’s case and he denied any knowledge of this case.
Ding Xikui and Si Weijiang, the two lawyers authorized by Chen Kegui’s wife Liu Fang expressed serious doubts on what the police said and they also expressed concerns that Chen Kegui might have been tortured.
Chen Guangcheng pointed out that even if the police showed paperwork as proof that the defendant consented to their appointment of lawyers, it would still be untrustworthy because Chen Kegui, who was charged with intentional homicide, might have been tortured in the Detention Center so that he would comply with the authority’s conviction of him at the trial.
Chen Kegui suspected of being tortured for a confession
He said, “Two days ago, the two lawyers went to Yinan, they (the police) didn’t let them see (the client) because their boss was on a business trip. Now they suddenly made up this excuse. I feel they are pressing Kegui hard… In what ways, we don’t know. It could be torture, or threats, of seducing him with material benefits. These are all possible. Well, the more they deal with it in this way, I feel that on Kegui’s part, the more we need to have our own lawyers meet with him and to find out the specific situation. This is very important.”
A few days after Chen Guangcheng’s legendary escape from Dongshigu Village, between the dark night of April 26 and the dawn of April 27, Chen Kegui fought with Yinan County Shuanghou Township Chief Zhang Jian and his followers who broke into ChenKegui’s home to seize and beat up his family members. Chen slashed three men including Zhang Jianwith two kitchen knives. According to a report of Hong Kong Sun Satellite TV, Chen Kegui’s father Chen Guangfu quoted the chief of Yinan Public Security Bureau, saying that Zhang Jian got about 20 slashes and it was unknown whether he was dead or alive.
Family and lawyers threatened
After the Chen Kegui incident happened, many lawyers and legal experts from different parts of China expressed willingness to conduct for free a defense of innocence for Chen Kegui on the basis of legitimate self-defense. Nevertheless, lawyer Liu Weiguo from Shandong, lawyer Chen Wuquan from Guangzhou, Teng Biao, a professor of Beijing University of Political Science and Law, and other members of the legal assistance team of lawyers acting for Chen Kegui had one after another suffered restrictions on their liberty, suspension of their licenses, being forced to travel outside the city, or being given warnings and other penalties.
To avoid the harassment and intimidation from the Yinan authorities, Chen Kegui’s wife Liu Fang went in hiding and had to cut off contact with the outside world.
Chinese authorities and state-owned media have not given any statement or report on the latest development of Chen Kegui’s case.
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20120518-CHEN-GUANGCHENG-152044485.html
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