(Minghui.org) A total of more than 300 Falun Gong practitioners from Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province have filed criminal complaints against Jiang Zemin between May 24 and December 31, 2015, according to reports compiled by the Minghui website.

The practitioners charge the former Chinese dictator with initiating the brutal suppression of Falun Gong and hold him responsible for the tremendous suffering inflicted upon them by his campaign. The criminal complaints were mailed to the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Many of these practitioners recounted how Falun Gong returned them to health and gave them a new outlook on life. Their dream to live a healthier and happier life, however, was shattered when Jiang Zemin launched a nationwide campaign to eradicate the practice in 1999.

Simply for refusing to give up their belief, these law-abiding citizens were arrested, detained, tortured, and had their homes ransacked and personal belongings seized. Many also saw their families implicated for their belief, while some were also forced to pay huge fines.

The Hanzhong practitioners who filed criminal complaints include people from all walks of life, including a businessman, engineer, disabled farmer, and elderly retirees.

Below, we profile several of these practitioners:

Woman Sentenced to 9 Years

When Ms. Yang Hua (杨华) was given one year of forced labor in 2003, her daughter was not even 13 yet. The pre-teen's school at first disallowed her to attend classes, citing her mother's incarceration. Though the principal later relented, it was too late for the young girl to catch up academically. She ended up having to drop out of school.

Ms. Yang was arrested again on May 9, 2008. The police ransacked her home, turning everything upside down and looting every bit of her valuables. She was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2009. Her daughter and her husband are now living a difficult life and counting down to the day when she will be released.

Businessman Arrested Three Times and Tortured

Mr. Jing Lihua (敬利华), a businessman, was arrested three times, and detained for over 70 days and 90 days in 2000 and 2009 respectively. He was given one year and three months of forced labor in 2003. Mr. Jing was subjected to brutal torture, which caused injuries to his internal organs and head. He could not eat, had difficulty breathing, and had blood in his stool. His right ribs were broken, and his eyes were swollen shut. He was also locked up in small confinement cell, deprived of sleep and force-fed. Repeated persecution forced Mr. Jing to close his successful noodle factory and make a living by doing odd jobs.

Elders' Health Restored after Resuming Practice of Falun Gong

Ninety-two-year-old Chen Xiaochun (陈小春), Ms. Feng Qinglian (冯清莲) in her 80s, and Ms. Chen Ying (陈瑛) gained their health through practicing Falun Gong. They were forced to stop practicing when the persecution began, and their illnesses returned. Later they resumed the practice and became healthy again. They are suing Jiang Zemin for violating their right to practice Falun Gong openly.

Two Men Sue Jiang for Repeated Police Harassment

Disabled Mr. Chen Hanming (陈汉明) and Mr. Shi Hong (石洪) recovered from many stubborn diseases, and improved their morality through practicing Falun Gong. But they were repeatedly harassed and persecuted, so they are suing Jiang Zemin, as well.

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 many 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.