(Zhenxiong, Yunnan Province – March 18, 2024) On March 8, 2024, the family of Chang Hao, a preacher from Zhenxiong County, Yunnan Province, who was charged with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” due to his Christian faith, issued an open prayer request letter, calling for attention to the situation of Chang Hao’s case being delayed and him being detained beyond the legal limit. The prayer letter stated that Chang Hao faced harsher treatment from the detention center guards after revealing his situation in the detention center during his last meeting with his lawyer.
On March 7, when Chang Hao’s lawyer visited him at the Zhenxiong County Detention Center, Chang Hao told the lawyer that despite his disclosure of the situation in the detention center during the previous visitation, such as having to take cold showers in winter and having to wash clothes on his own despite being physically disabled, his situation in the detention center not only did not improve, but he faced even harsher treatment from the guards. Chang Hao’s family believes that the detention center is not interested in solving the problem but only wants to silence those who raise concerns.
Chang Hao’s case was prosecuted by Zhenxiong County People’s Procuratorate on November 7, 2023, on charges of ” picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and transferred to Zhenxiong County People’s Court. It has been approximately four months since then. According to the lawyer, under legal provisions, the People’s Court should try and pronounce judgment on public prosecution cases within two months of case acceptance, and no later than three months. The lawyer believes that there are no reasons for extending the trial period as stipulated in Article 158 of the Criminal Procedure Law. Therefore, the case has already exceeded the trial period. According to the law, the Court should change the coercive measures against Chang Hao and should not continue to detain him.
Yesterday, Chang Hao also told the lawyer that the deadline stated in his “Certificate of Custody Change” was February 10, 2024, but he had not received a new one. Considering the fact that the case has already exceeded the statutory trial limit, the lawyer believes that the Zhenxiong County People’s Court and the Zhenxiong County Detention Center are suspected of detaining Chang Hao beyond the legal limit. Therefore, the lawyer rushed to the 12309 Service Center of the Zhenxiong County People’s Procuratorate and submitted a complaint and an application for a review of the necessity of custody. The lawyer requested the prosecutor’s office to suggest that the Court change the coercive measures against Chang Hao.
Meanwhile, there is another puzzling aspect to this case: the Zhenxiong County People’s Court has yet to allow the lawyer to duplicate the case materials. Yesterday, Chang Hao’s lawyer once again contacted the judge requesting access to duplicate the case files. The judge replied that they travelled to rural areas for business purposes and were currently out of office. Prior to that, the lawyer had made two requests to duplicate the case files at the Court on November 16, 2023, and January 18, 2024, respectively, but both requests were denied.
In the prayer letter, Chang Hao’s family members expressed their disappointment in the face of illegal actions and various injustices, as powerless people living in the rural area. They felt a little despaired knowing that even the lawful rights of their lawyer could not be guaranteed. However, they believed in the righteousness of God they relied on and worshipped, maintaining hope for the country’s rule of law. His family called on judicial authorities to handle the case according to the law and urged more friends and believers to pay attention to Chang Hao’s case.
