Jilin Supreme People's Court in northeast China, in its final judgment on Tuesday, upheld the sentence made by the Jilin Intermediary People's Court in the case f cable TV network sabotage by a group of 15 Falun Gong followers.

On Sept. 20, at Jilin Intermediary People's Court, these saboteurs, including Zhou Runjun, Lei Ming, Zhao Jian and Li Xiaojie, were found guilty and sentenced to prison terms of four to 20 years for hijacking cable television transmissions and for broadcasting a propaganda program on behalf of the cult.

Following the first trial, 13 of the defendants appealed the sentence, claiming that their actions could not be defined as a crime. Li Xiaojie also appealed, arguing that his sentence was too severe.

After further investigation, Jilin Supreme People's Court confirmed that the actions of the 15 Falun Gong followers constituted a crime. Beginning at 18:00 on March 5 of this year, the group interrupted the cable TV network broadcast in progress in Changchun and Songyuan cities of the province, leaving approximately 16,000 viewers affected by the video and audio propaganda of the Falun Gong cult transmitted by the group's broadcasting equipment.

It was also confirmed that Lei Ming colluded with others in printing over 200,000 leaflets and producing more than 2,000 compact discs propagating the insidious cult.

In view of the above considerations, the supreme court dismissed her appeal and upheld the original sentence.

According to the supreme court, these saboteurs conspired to commit a crime. They violated clause one of Article 124 and clause one of Article 300 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China by undermining the enforcement of the state's laws by sabotaging broadcast and television facilities through the organization and use of a cult.

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2002)