(Minghui.org) Over 134,000 people have filed criminal complaints against Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), between the end of May and August 6, 2015. They urge the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Supreme People's Court to bring Jiang to justice for his abuses of power in orchestrating the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
The complaints charge Jiang with unlawful imprisonment, depriving citizens of their constitutional right to freedom of belief, abuse of power, and many other crimes. Jiang initiated the persecution of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, and created the 610 Office, giving it the power to override the police and judicial systems to carry out his directive.
Over the past 16 years, more than 3,800 Falun Gong practitioners have been confirmed tortured to death. The actual toll is likely higher, because such information is tightly censored in China.
In total, copies of 111,597 complaints from 134,386 Falun Gong practitioners and their family members were submitted to the Minghui website from the end of May to August 6. Copies of 12,416 complaints from 14,234 people were submitted to the Minghui website in the past week, between July 31 and August 6.
Among the plaintiffs, 1,534 are Falun Gong practitioners who left China to avoid the persecution and are currently living in 25 different countries. They also filed complaints against Jiang to the Supreme People's Procuratorate.
Lawsuits against Jiang Zemin have grown significantly since the end of May 2015.
Distribution of the plaintiffs among China's provinces and municipalities.
Some of the complaints that were withheld in Beijing by agents of the Ministry of State Security since July 1, 2015 are being received with signatures by the Supreme People's Procuratorate. Some of the mailings were withheld for over three weeks before being delivered. Among the 7,108 complaints signed for by the Procuratorate or the Court last week, 1,705 had been withheld in Beijing for one month.
Based on post office delivery confirmations and recipient signatures for express mails, 59,380 complaints from 73,152 people have been received by the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Supreme People's Court, the Ministry of Public Security, and the CCP Central Discipline Inspection Commission. Among all complaints mailed, 53% have been confirmed received.
Facing the tide of lawsuits against Jiang, “610 Offices” and police forces have become less aggressive in carrying out the suppression of Falun Gong. However, police in some areas are withholding such mail in post offices, and harassing or unlawfully detaining plaintiffs for 10 to 15 days. These detentions violate the Chinese Constitution, postal law, and criminal law.
Authorities Becoming Less Aggressive
Police and local administrative and judicial officials have recently called or visited Falun Gong practitioners about the lawsuits against Jiang based on a name list from higher officials. They asked whether the complaints were written and fingerprinted by the practitioners. Some listened to practitioners' explanations, and some decided to quit the Chinese Communist Party and its youth organizations.
Domestic Security officers and “610 Office” agents in Pingdingshan, Henan Province and Yantai, Shandong Province visited plaintiffs and left on friendly terms.
Tongjiang, Heilongjiang Province is a city with a population of fewer than 100,000. The police and courts have actively participated in the persecution over the past 16 years, and many Falun Gong practitioners have been sentenced to long-term imprisonment. Facing the lawsuits against Jiang, they have now become less aggressive. For example, Tongjiang police arrested a practitioner as he mailed his complaint on July 27, but freed him three hours later.
Voices of Support Around the World
Falun Gong practitioners from 11 U.S. states marched in Chicago's Chinatown on August 1, 2015 in support of those who are filing lawsuits against Jiang. Ms. Xu, who came to the U.S. three months ago, said, “I like to read books, especially those about World War II. I think the Chinese Communist Party's crimes in the persecution of Falun Gong are more than that of the Nazis.”
Falun Gong practitioners march in Chicago's Chinatown on August 1, 2015 to support the lawsuits against Jiang.
Sydney barrister Robert Dubler called the lawsuits “a wonderful step” for the Chinese people. “They [Falun Gong practitioners] built up walls of cases just to show that even if you are the former leader of a powerful country, it doesn't mean you should be above the law,” said Dubler.
Mr. Robert Dubler, Senior Counsel of Barristers in Sydney
French human rights lawyer William Bourdon called the lawsuits against Jiang a very special new development during a recent interview. He said that he and his team were ready to engage in global collaboration, and work together with lawyers in Ottawa, Montreal, London, and other places to bring Jiang to justice.
Dr. Sev Ozdowski, a human rights expert and Australia's former Human Rights Commissioner, recently expressed his support for the lawsuits. “When you look back, people win against oppression, and you will win,” he encouraged. “Just do what you do, stay strong, and continue to lodge complaints; continue demanding more human rights for yourselves!”
Dr. Sev Ozdowski OAM, president of the Australian Council for Human Rights Education
Dr. Ling Xiaohui, a China expert, says Jiang's crimes against Falun Gong fit the definition of Crimes Against Humanity in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court during his speech at a forum in Sydney on August 1, 2015.
