A/56/253 “They used subterfuge to obtain State secrets. During a search made under a warrant, the police found 37 documents classified top secret in the homes of the accused. “Through the sect structures, they proselytized, preached and disseminated the sect publications. This brought in 45,130,000 yuan in profit. “They organized huge gatherings of Falun Gong followers to storm government and commercial buildings, disrupt work and daily life and threaten social prosperity. “The court found that, as a result of such conduct, the accused — Li Chang, Wang Zhiwen, Ji Liewu and Yao Lie — were guilty of the following offences: (a) organization and operation of a sect with a view to disrupting the legal order; (b) organization and operation of a sect with a view to causing death through reprehensible acts; and (c) theft of State secrets. All these offences are particularly serious. Li Chang, Wang Zhiwen and Ji Liewu, who are the main guilty parties, and Yao Lie, their accomplice, all deserved to be punished under the law. However, Li Chang and Yao Lie, having, during the detention period, voluntarily acknowledged in great detail the facts of which they were accused, revealed the reprehensible conduct of Li Hongzhi and of the sect and expressed sincere regret, were given lighter or reduced sentences. Yao Lie’s sincere repentance also earned him a lighter sentence for the theft of State secrets. “In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Penal Code of the People’s Republic of China and the comments made by the People’s Supreme Court and the Office of the Procurator-General with regard to the specific application of the law to offences involving the organization and operation of religious sects, the intermediate people’s court no. 1 of the municipality of Beijing, having found the accused guilty of organizing and operating a sect with a view to disrupting the legal order, organizing and operating a sect with a view to causing deaths by reprehensible act and stealing State secrets, handed down the following sentences: (a) Li Chang was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment and stripped of his political rights for 5 years; (b) Wang Zhiwen was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment and stripped of his political rights for 4 years; (c) Ji Liewu was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and stripped of his political rights for 2 years; (d) Yao Lie was sentenced to 7 years’ imprisonment and stripped of his political rights for 1 year. “The attorneys retained by the families of Li Chang, Ji Liewu and Yao Lie, the attorney automatically assigned to Wang Zhiwen by the court and the four defendants themselves have presented their arguments to the court. The public, the press and the relatives of the four defendants have been admitted to the trial, which was public, and to the sentencing. None of the defendants has appealed the sentence.” 51