(Minghui.org) Ten Swiss politicians have recently written to Chinese President Xi Jinping, urging him to help bring Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist regime, to stand trial for his role in the 16-year persecution of Falun Gong. The letter is in response to the more than 134,000 criminal complaints filed by Falun Gong practitioners against Jiang, charging him with abuse of power, unlawful detention, and torture, among other crimes.
The elected officials include four Swiss Federal Members of Parliament (MP), five members of the Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva and one former Permanent Representative of the Swiss Confederation:
Swiss Federal MP Dominique de Buman
Swiss Federal MP Carlo Sommaruga
Swiss Federal MP Didier Berberat
Marc Falquet, member of the Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva.
Henry Rappaz, member of the Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva
M. T. Engelberts, member of the Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva
Swiss Federal MP Leuenberger Ueli
Lydia Schneider Hausser, member of Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva.
Buschbeck Mathias, member of the Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva.
Jean-Daniel Vigny, former Permanent Representative of the Swiss Confederation
Swiss Politicians Take Action
The Swiss officials began their letter to President Xi commending the fact that China wishes to head more towards the rule of law. It was noted that the country has already embarked on an anti-corruption campaign and many present and former government officials have already been tried and punished for corruption, – a difficult and commendable task.
The letter continued, “It has been about 16 years since Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese President, personally decided to eradicate the ancient discipline of qigong, Falun Gong, and its practitioners.
“He created the extra-judicial 610 Office that is responsible for a terrible and cruel persecution. This entity employs torture methods never experienced in the past. The greatest horror and cruelty is the organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners, who are killed for economic profit.”
The letter mentions that many prominent governing bodies, organizations and individuals have taken note of the organ harvesting crimes. “Numerous reports and statements issued by the United Nations in particular, the European Parliament and many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) denounced the appalling practice of organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners. More than two million individuals signed a petition that calls for an end to this practice worldwide. It is known that organ harvesting is also experienced, although to a lesser extent, by Christians, Tibetans and Uighurs.
“Given the direction in which China wants to move and the 134,000 complaints filed so far, it is hoped that you can facilitate the arrest of former President Jiang Zemin and those responsible for this disgrace and bring them to justice to stand trial for these crimes.
“The world is watching and we are all witnesses. Our duty is to make this appeal because one day history will judge our response to these crimes that cannot go unpunished.”
The letter was also faxed and emailed to the Chinese Embassy in Bern, Switzerland.
Unprecedented Number of Criminal Complaints Filed Against Former Chinese President
Over 146,000 Falun Gong practitioners and their family members filed 122,417 criminal complaints against Jiang Zemin from the end of May to August 13, 2015.
They urged the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Supreme People's Court to bring Jiang to justice for abuse of power, mainly for his role in orchestrating the persecution of Falun Gong.
It has been confirmed that more than 3,800 Falun Gong practitioners have been killed over the past 16 years. The actual toll is likely higher, because such information is tightly censored in China.
Background
In 1999, Jiang Zemin, as head of the Chinese Communist Party, overrode other Politburo standing committee members and launched the violent suppression of Falun Gong.
The persecution has led to the deaths of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners over the past 16 years. More have been tortured for their belief and even killed for their organs. Jiang Zemin is directly responsible for the inception and continuation of the brutal persecution.
Under his personal direction, the Chinese Communist Party established an extralegal security organ, the 610 Office, on June 10, 1999. The organization overrides police forces and the judicial system in carrying out Jiang's directive regarding Falun Gong: to ruin their reputations, cut off their financial resources, and destroy them physically.
Chinese law now allows for citizens to be plaintiffs in criminal cases, and many practitioners are exercising that right to file criminal complaints against the former dictator.
