When the news came out, the whole country was in an uproar. There are Li Da, Xu and other progressives 107 in the cultural and educational circles in Beiping. There are more than 200 people in Tianjin cultural circle and Siam (now Thailand) overseas Chinese cultural circle; All overseas Chinese in Singapore called the Kuomintang government and demanded their immediate release. Romain rolland, a famous writer, Einstein, a famous scientist and other world celebrities also protested to the Kuomintang authorities.
Hearing this news, students from major middle schools in Beiping specially went on strike for two days and sent five representatives to Nanjing to petition. 19361February 12, students in Beiping held a big demonstration and shouted slogans such as "Fight for patriotic freedom and release patriotic leaders". Many newspapers all over the country call them "seven gentlemen" and their cases "patriotism and innocence".
According to the laws of the Kuomintang authorities, the interrogation time is limited to two months, and can be extended for two months if necessary. Shen Junru and other seven people were decent, but the Kuomintang investigators did not investigate and had no news, so they had to extend their detention for two months. 1937 on April 4, that is, at 8 o'clock in the evening on the last day of the expiration of the statutory investigation, the prosecutor concocted the indictment. This "indictment" is full of thousands of words, and the "top ten counts" are all made up by patchwork. Zou Taofen pointed out angrily: "Deliberately Luo Zhi is a crime of entering people." Former lawyer Sha Li Qian said with emotion: "We never expected that after four months of investigation, the reasons for prosecution were so empty and distorted, which really insulted the country and its sacred status."
The appearance of the "indictment" immediately aroused the angry protests of the people all over the country. Soong Ching Ling, He Xiangning and celebrities from all walks of life launched the "Prison Salvation Movement" and issued the "Declaration of Prison Salvation Movement", solemnly stating to the world: "The people of China are by no means cowards who are afraid of death, and the patriotic people in China are not just seven people including Mr. Shen, but thousands. China will not die, and China will not die. " Soong Ching Ling personally led patriots, carrying documents written to the Kuomintang Suzhou High Court, and went straight to the Suzhou High Court to "request detention" and went to prison with the seven gentlemen. The Kuomintang authorities are helpless and embarrassed.
On June 1937 and 10, the Kuomintang authorities brazenly held a public hearing on the case. On that day, the gate of the court was crowded with people who came to pay their respects to the Seven Gentlemen. When the court saw something bad, it posted a notice and changed the public trial to closed-door trial. Shen Junru and other seven "defendants" unanimously stated that the case did not need to be heard in secret, and they refused to answer if it was not heard in public. Their lawyer conveyed their opinions to the clerk, saying: If all the parties are silent, the lawyer will keep silent and say nothing.
Their lawyers are well-known lawyers in Shanghai, and they all come to defend themselves voluntarily. So everyone has three lawyers, a total of ***2 1, forming a lawyer group. They should not only defend the defendant personally, but more importantly, fight for the protection of "patriotism and innocence" and strive for patriotic freedom for the people of the whole country. Unable to hear the case, the court had to agree to the defendant's request and let the defendant's family and journalists enter.
The "indictment" is smelly and long, based entirely on framing and distortion, so it is full of loopholes and vulnerable.
Seven people including Shen Junru were arrested and imprisoned1936165438+1October 22nd; 1936 65438+February12 "Xi incident" broke out. They can't "contact" with Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng. The indictment lists Xi 'an incident as one of the "crimes" they made out of nothing. On the pretext that the National Salvation Association appealed in June, 5438 +065438+10, the imperial court called on Zhang Xueliang to send troops to assist Suiyuan in the war of resistance, framing him as "colluding with the soldiers and plotting to act outside the track" and "causing great changes and almost shaking the whole country". During the Xi Incident, Zhang Xueliang put forward eight propositions, the third of which was "the immediate release of patriotic leaders arrested in Shanghai". This constitutes "evidence" of collusion. This is really worse, why not stop here!
Shen Junru was the first to be tried. He replied righteously: "We sent a telegram to Zhang Xueliang for the Suiyuan Incident and sent it back to the National Government, Fu and Song, hoping that they would urge the Central Committee to fight against Japan together. As for blaming us for the Xi incident, I feel very strange. I should ask the presiding judge to call Zhang Xueliang as a witness. "
Zou Taofen also argued. Pointing to the telegram, he said: "This telegram clearly says that I hope Zhang Xueliang will" ask the central authorities to help Suiyuan resist Japan ",not ask him to" admonish the soldiers ". At the same time, he also sent the same telegram to the National Government and Fu. Why not collude with the national government? Why do you want to collude with the national government and find Zhang Xueliang alone? "
The defense lawyer went on to say, "What do you mean by' collusion' and' association' in the indictment? This is a matter for both parties. Now only ask one party, how to convict? So in any case, we must investigate Zhang Xueliang. "
This is equivalent to giving the court an army. During the Xi Incident, Chiang Kai-shek said that he would "forgive" Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng and "let bygones be bygones", but Zhang Xueliang accompanied him back to Nanjing, and Chiang Kai-shek put Zhang Xueliang under house arrest. How can Zhang Xueliang be allowed to "testify" in Suzhou court?
The trial farce can't go on. Soon after the July 7th Incident broke out, the Kuomintang authorities released the seven patriotic leaders on July 3rd1and 1937.