Another 26 people went on trial on Wednesday in north China's Shanxi Province in connection with a string of
slave labor scandals in brick kilns first exposed in early
June.
The 26 defendants were tried in seven separate cases at four
different courts in Yongji City, Ruicheng County, Linyi County, and
Xinjiang County -- all administered by Shanxi's Yuncheng City.
The defendants were all charged with forcing laborers to work
for them in unspeakable conditions. In one case tried at Yongji
court, Yang Xiaohong and three other defendants were accused of
intentionally injuring other people.
The results of the trials will be announced at a later date.
Also Wednesday, the Intermediate People's Court of Linfen City
of Shanxi Province opened a second court session following the July
4th trial for five high-profile defendants including kiln boss Wang
Bingbing, foreman Heng Tinghan, and employees Zhao Yanbing, Heng
Mingyang, and Liu Dongsheng.
The People's Procuratorates of Linfen City said defendants Heng
Tinghan, Zhao Yanbing, and Liu Dongsheng had been charged with
illegal detention and murder, while defendants Heng Mingyang, son
of Heng Tinghan, and Wang Bingbing had to face illegal detention
charges.
The judges did not reach a verdict on Wednesday.
The use of forced laborers hit the headlines after more than 400
parents in central China's Henan Province posted a call-for-help letter
on the internet last month, saying their missing children had been
sold to small brick kilns in Shanxi and Henan as forced
laborers.
By June 22, 359 people, including 12 children, had been rescued
from illegal brick kilns in Shanxi and police had arrested 38
people. Police in Henan rescued 217 people, including 29 children,
and arrested 120 people in a four-day crackdown.
On Tuesday, three managers of two illegal brick kilns went on
trial in Xiangning and Xiangfen counties in connection with the
forced labor scandal.
(Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2007)