Nanle County Christian Church pastor, lawyer receive court notices

January 23, 2014

Home » Uncensored News » Nanle County Christian Church pastor, lawyer receive court notices

Pastor Zhang Shaojie was able to meet with lawyer Liu
Weiguo for the first time on Jan. 15, 2014. (Photo: ChinaAid)

China Aid Association

(Nanle County, Henan—Jan. 23, 2014) A lawyer defending the detained pastor of the Nanle County Christian Church in central Henan province received two notices from the Nanle County People’s Court on Wednesday.

Lawyer Liu Weiguo told ChinaAid that he received a notice for a pre-trial consultation, to be held today, and a court appearance notice, scheduled for Jan. 28, only two days ago. The arrival of the consultation notice violates the required time frame of advance notice for such meetings, which is three days.

ChinaAid has also learned that because of this time frame violation, Pastor Zhang Shaojie, who was forcibly taken into custody on Nov. 16 (see https://chinaaid.org/2013/11/update-three-self-sanctioned-church.html and https://chinaaid.org/2014/01/exclusive-identity-of-12-detained-nanle.html), has decided to boycott the meeting because the lack of advance notice won’t allow Liu to arrive in time for the meeting.

Zhang is charged with fraud and gathering a mob to disrupt public order (https://chinaaid.org/2014/01/update-nanle-county-christian-church.html).

Throughout this series of persecution against believers in Nanle County, lawyers have dealt with a severe lack of cooperation from Nanle County governing bodies (see https://chinaaid.org/2013/11/update-lawyers-for-nanle-county.html, https://chinaaid.org/2013/12/surveillance-violence-continues-against.html, and https://chinaaid.org/2013/11/more-governmental-obstacles-faced-by.html).

ChinaAid asks people from all walks of life to continue to express their concerns and to pray for the Christians and their lawyers. We call on the Chinese government to use facts and the law as their basis for the trial so that Zhang and the other detainees receive a fair trial and that the lawyers’ rights are protected.

The text of the notice can be read below:

Notice for Pre-Trial Consultation from Nanle County People’s Court

(2014) Nan Xing Chu Zi No. 13

Liu Weiguo,

It is now decided that a pre-trial consultation shall be held at this court’s Room for Criminal Trial at 9 a.m. on January 23, 2014 in connection to the case accepted by this court of the defendant Zhang Shaojie, who is suspected of having committed the crime of fraud and gathering a mob to disturb the public order. Pursuant to Clause 2 of Article 182 of the Criminal Procedural Law of the People’s Republic of China, you are hereby notified to attend the meeting on time as the defense lawyer of this case.

January 21, 2014
Nanle County People’s Court

Notice for Court Appearance from Nanle People’s Court

(2014) Nan Xing Chu Zi No. 13

Liu Weiguo,

It is now decided that the court will open for trial in the Room for Criminal Trial of this court at 9 a.m. on January 28, 2014 in connection with the case in which the defendant Zhang Shaojie is suspected of having committed the crime of fraud and gathering a mob to disrupt the public order. Pursuant to Clause 3 of Article 182 of the Criminal Procedural Law of the People’s Republic of China, you are hereby notified to arrive in court on time as the defense lawyer of this case.

January 21, 2014
Nanle County People’s Court

China Aid Contacts

Rachel Ritchie, English Media Director

Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.chinaaid.org

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