(Bengbu, Anhui Province – September 12, 2024) According to reports, starting from September 9, 2024, a pre-trial conference was reopened at the Yuhui District Court in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, for the fraud case against Wan Changchun, Xue Shaoqiang, Cao Binting, and Wan Chunqin from the Cornerstone Reformed Church in Bengbu. The reason for the retrial was a change in the composition of the court’s collegial panel. During the hearing, defense lawyers raised objections regarding jurisdiction, exclusion of illegal evidence, notification for victims to appear in court, public trial, and bail applications.
The case was originally scheduled for formal trial on May 16, 2024, at 9 AM. The families of the four defendants had long been hoping to see their loved ones in court, so they arrived early outside the courthouse that day. However, on the day of the trial, the court neither allowed lawyers to bring computers into the courtroom nor permitted the families of the four defendants and other church Christians to enter the courtroom. Only those with observer passes were allowed to enter the gallery.
When the lawyers arrived at the courthouse entrance, they found that the defendants’ family members were restricted from entering the courtroom to observe, as they had previously given testimony. The court only allowed those with observer passes to enter, and church members were generally not permitted entry. Several family members who had been questioned were also not allowed to observe. The lawyers argued that as long as they do not testify in the court, witnesses who had been questioned could still observe, especially since close relatives have the right to be exempted from testifying. They stated that the law should prioritize guaranteeing the right of close relatives to observe. At the pre-trial conference held on May 13, 2024, the families of the four defendants were unfortunately unable to enter the courtroom to see their loved ones.
During the trial, the lawyers and family members were still unable to enter the courtroom, and the trial could not proceed. The family members and lawyers reported the situation through petitions, complaints, and visits to the Bengbu Intermediate People’s Court, Bengbu Procuratorate, Yuhui District Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and other departments, only to be told to wait for a new trial date.
During the trial on September 9, the prosecutor suddenly stated that all Christian witnesses who participated in offerings in this case would be added as victims. The lawyers argued that Christian tithing is a tradition of thousands of years and could not possibly be fraud. Moreover, the procuratorate cannot arbitrarily switch between witnesses and victims. Additionally, since the four defendants and their families all practiced tithing, they should also have the right to hire a legal representative to sit alongside the prosecutor. One lawyer said that all church members have the right to hire two legal representatives, and he wondered how the trial would proceed in that case?
One defense lawyer stated that this case was only filed for illegal business operations and had nothing to do with fraud charges, as these are two completely unrelated crimes. Prosecutor Zhao Wenjuan not only failed to correct the illegal actions of the public security organs but also collected many materials irrelevant to this case. The lawyers also pointed out many common-sense errors in the indictment, and the prosecutor repeatedly denied statements she had made publicly. People reminded the prosecutor that she represents the image of the state.
One defense lawyer, citing his experience with retrial cases that resulted in changed verdicts, stated that even when prosecuting telecommunication-related crimes, there must be clear victims, case reports, and amounts defrauded. Therefore, the Yuhui District Procuratorate of Bengbu City cannot create its own system of victim representatives for ordinary fraud cases without disclosing specific amounts defrauded from individual victims.
It is reported that during the trial process, there were no instances of previously experienced difficulties for the lawyers. Family members briefly caught sight of their relatives in the transport vehicle at the entrance.
After the trial, the lawyers visited Wan Changchun, Xue Shaoqiang, Cao Binting, and Wan Chunqin at the detention center and found that their physical conditions were not good, appearing weaker than before. The four Christians expressed that they miss their families very much. Cao Binting, who grew up from a rural area and become a civil servant, was known for his excellent character and diligence, but is now imprisoned for his faith. He became tearful when mentioning his wife, Ma Peipei. His father also expressed belief in his son’s innocence and encouraged him not to be defeated by the injustice of the world. The lawyers are concerned about such excellent young people being subject to such stigmatizing criminal charges.
Currently, the court has tentatively scheduled four consecutive days of hearings beginning on September 27.
