Victims:

1.  Feng Fei, male, bookstore owner in Changsha City, Hunan Province, China

2.  Tan Mimi, female, bookstore worker

3.  Tan’s father, male, helped manage the bookstore, not a practitioner of Falun Gong

Location:

                        A court in Changsha City, Hunan Province, China

Perpetrators:

The judge and staff of court in Changsha City, Hunan Province, China

Description:

On March 2, 2000, Feng Fei, Tan Mimi and Tan's father were tried in a  Changsha City court for selling Falun Gong books. The lawyer appointed by Feng Fei's family did not show up. The lawyer said that his appearance and defense would be useless. The lawyer appointed by Tan Mimi's family did not make any statement during the trial. The judge only asked the defendants a few questions such as "Have you ever sold Falun Gong books?" before giving them perfunctory sentences. Feng Fei and Tan Mimi's father were sentenced to 5 years in prison. Tan Mimi was sentenced to 3 years in prison. In addition, the three were all heavily fined. The state-run Xinhua News Agency and local TV stations were ordered to cover the trial. Seventy-seven local book dealers were required to attend the trial and were warned that any book dealer found selling Falun Gong books would face similar punishment. 

(Reported on March 5, 2000)