Love, Justice & the American Way

• Source: Global Times
• [22:52 November 22 2009]
• Comments

Julie Harms petitions the Ministry of Public Security in Beijing on November 13. Photos: Courtesy of Julie Harms

Arrested & transported

Harms could hardly believe her fiancé was led away and transported to Anhui Province and the detention center in Wuhe county where he had most recently been hospitalized. After failing to obtain a quick overturn via local means, Harms opted to petition. During the last 150 days, Harms has not rested a single day in seeking justice for her fiancé in the bureaucratic merry-go-round of a bewilderingly alien legal system.

Liu's case was first tried at Wuhe county court on September 14. She outlined the case to the court: Liu had been involved in an altercation with a villager who had trespassed on his parents' property. Liu and seven friends were on their way home when he was attacked and beaten unconscious.

The local court postponed the verdict and kicked the case back to the local prosecutors and local police.

Harms appealed to a higher level: a provincial prosecution reception officer took notes on her complaints. The local police chief had refused to see her, she said. Her fiancé's case was built on fabricated evidence, she alleged.

The provincial officials urged Harms to wait for the local court to pass sentence and then appeal if necessary to a higher court.

Liu's case was postponed and postponed again, moving back and forth between local prosecutors and the court over and over again.