Details of the trials of Wang Lijun

Wang's case has been holding the world's attention. Investigatory, procuratorial and judicial authorities have taken the facts as the basis and the law as the criterion, and handled the case strictly in accordance with the law in the process of the investigation, prosecution and trials.

During the investigation period, the State Security Bureau of Chengdu in Sichuan, the Hefei City People's Procuratorate in Anhui Province and the Sichuan Province People's Procuratorate, respectively, carried out meticulous investigation and interrogation plans, questioning parties involved in the case and many people who knew about the case and collected and verified a huge amount of evidence. They also informed Wang of his right to retain defense counsel.

During the phase for the approval of the arrest and prosecution, the prosecuting body thoroughly and meticulously examined the evidence collected and put together by the investigating body in a timely manner, and provided multiple suggestions for further investigation. The prosecuting body also sent the criminal suspect a letter to inform him of his rights and responsibilities as well as his right to entrust a defense counsel to represent him. The defense counsel entrusted by Wang examined, extracted and copied case files in accordance with the law.

After the defendant was indicted, the Chengdu City Intermediate People's Court formed a collegial panel, sent duplicates of the indictment to the defendant, publicized the time and location of the trials, sent subpoenas for the trials and notices to attend court to the defendant and his defense counsel, informed them of their litigation rights and safeguarded the defense counsel's rights to meet Wang and examine, extract and copy case files in accordance with laws.

Before the trials, Wang's defense counsel met with him 15 times. Wang Yuncai, Wang Lijun's defender and a lawyer with the Beijing-based Longan Law Firm's Shenyang Office, said in court that the defense counsel met the defendant many times and examined the case files before the trials.

Gu Mingan, a professor with the Law School of the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics as well as an observer at the trials, said the two sides made full efforts to raise and cross-examine evidence during the trials, and the court scrupulously heard the opinions of the prosecutors as well as the defense counsel, fully reflecting the judicial concept of the equality of the prosecution and the defense, and safeguarded the sanctity of law.

After the trials, Wu Qunfang, a resident from the Taoyuan community in the Chenghua District of Chengdu, said that after the trials they have fully understood the beginning and subsequent development of Wang Lijun's case.

"We believe that all is equal before the law and expect a fair verdict from the people's court," Wu said.