Statement of Legal Counsel Martin F. McMahon at Plaintiffs' Press Conference

Washington, D.C. April 3, 2001

Today, 50 people decided to step forward to file a civil lawsuit against two Chinese government Ministries, disclosing for the first time what their lives have been like living as supporters or practitioners of the Falun Gong meditation practice here in America.

Some of them are tired of being beaten up, simply because they have held up signs or spoken their beliefs, others are tired of having their car tires slashed, their car windows broken, and in one case, their car being fire bombed, others are tired of repeatedly reporting to the police multiple apartment break-ins, or receiving death or arson threats, others are tired of having their private and public conversations recorded, or being photographed or videotaped, and all of them are concerned with having their names and their ID's being entered into an international data bank and being labeled "evil cult" members.

Although they didn't know it at the time, when certain Chinese government leaders made up their minds to persecute the Falun Gong practice in China in July 1999, these same leaders had already targeted USA-based Falun Gong supporters or practitioners. As you'll see in the lawsuit, President Jiang Zemin made no effort to conceal his hatred of the Falun Gong practice here in the States. Nor did he care if the PRC's television propaganda entity, CCTV, made up news stories and video clips depicting Falun Gong supporters as promoters of mass suicide.

The parties to this case decided to go into federal court because they eventually realized that the beatings, the numerous incidents of vandalism, the break-ins, and threats of murder were not isolated events. Through investigation is was found that they were part of a nationwide criminal campaign and were all orchestrated by very dedicated and single-minded individuals inside the Embassy here in Washington and the PRC consulates in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Houston, and San Francisco.

Based on the Racketeering, Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and the federal civil rights laws, the parties have asked the Court for basic relief, i.e., to stop this campaign of terror. There is also a commercial aspect to the case in that the same Chinese government leaders have taken certain measures to insure that the voice of the Falun Gong would never be heard in the Chinese American communities, by interfering with their attempts to broadcast their views in various media outlets.

Lastly, the parties are extremely fearful of the repressive measures that the PRC will inflict on family members living in China for them taking this first step of asking a federal court to look into their complaints. In fact, they have already seen such retaliatory actions being visited upon their relatives. As a result of this lawsuit and other action, these persons hope that someday they will truly be free to express their beliefs, on American and Chinese soil.