The Epoch Times: Chinese Official Has Less Than Three Weeks to Respond to Lawsuit

April 28, 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last Thursday, Bo Xilai, the new Minister of Commerce for China, was served with papers outside of the Fairmont Hotel for alleged participation in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Bo has 20 days to answer; failure to do so would result in a default guilty verdict.

Lana Han, co-counsel in the case, said that it was important to sue Bo because she believed that he had been "instrumental in terms of the persecution of Falun Gong in China." She also felt that "it was important that Bo know that his crimes cannot be committed without the world knowing."

Other Chinese officials have been served [with lawsuits] by Falun Gong practitioners when visiting the United States, based on their reported participation in the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

On July 17, 2001, Peng Liang, [acting] on his own behalf and on behalf of his mother, Li YingXui, and brother, Peng Min, filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York against Zhao Zhifei, head of Public Security for Hubei Province of China (Chief of Police). Peng Liang said that both his mother and brother were tortured to death while in custody of police. Defendant Zhao was served in New York City during a visit to the United States.

Han said: "It's important that people know that not every official has been sued when coming to the U.S. Only the officials that play a significant role and that are directly responsible [for the persecution of Falun Gong] are sued. They have all committed personal acts of crime. It is their choice, they were not forced, so they should not have immunity."

One woman said that when she was trying to help with the serving of the papers to Bo in Washington she was physically pushed by at least one of the members of Bo's entourage. Her 15-year-old daughter was with her and said that she could not believe that they would do that. She said it was "outrageous" and that "they pushed her really hard."

The woman, who asked to remain unnamed because of the fear of further persecution, said: "Despite being pushed, I would do it again and again until the persecution stopped."

On the same evening, about 10 students from Maryland University and about 20 from Georgetown University were lined on both sides of the road in front of the Fairmont Hotel in order to welcome Wu Yi, the Vice Premier and Minister of Health, and Bo. They said that they were very fond of Wu Yi.

The Falun Gong practitioners were on the opposite side of the street, across from the hotel, holding banners that read, "Bring Jiang to Justice," "Stop the Persecution," "Immediately Deport China Human Rights Scoundrel Bo Xilai," and "Truth, Compassion, Tolerance."

Apparently a list of 100 human rights abusers from China was submitted to the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office on March 9, 2004 by a few human rights organizations. Bo Xilai was said to have been on that list.

When asked for comment, the Chinese Embassy stated that they "did not know anything about Bo being served [with a lawsuit]."

http://english.epochtimes.com/news/4-4-28/21153.html