Wall Street Journal Reports: Falun Gong Practitioners File Suit Against Jiang Zemin Government, Accusing Jiang of Suppression Tactics

[Editor's note] Some corrections: (1) It is some Falun Gong practitioners filing lawsuit against China's Ministry of State Security, Ministry of Public Security and China's Central Television, not Falun Gong filing lawsuit against Chinese government. (2) The lawsuit is not seeking damages, but instead asks the court to declare that the alleged activities are in violation of U.S. law, and to stop the named defendants from continuing their illegal activities.

(Clearwisdom.net) On April 4, 2002, the Wall Street Journal reported that Falun Gong practitioners filed a civil lawsuit in Washington D.C. under U.S. law accusing Jiang's regime of using government ministries to intimidate, injure, and suppress practitioners and supporters of Falun Gong on American soil and to deprive American citizens and residents of their constitutional rights and privileges.

The report was published on the front page of the Wall Street Journal's Business News Section.

The report says, "Falun Gong is broadening its battle against the Chinese government, filing a lawsuit in the U.S. that accuses Beijing of applying suppression tactics to intimidate followers of the spiritual group in the U.S.

The civil suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington Wednesday, brings into the legal realm complaints long made by U.S. adherents of Falun Gong: that the Chinese Embassy and consulates are out to defame the group in America. China's diplomatic missions, police and spy ministries and government broadcaster China Central Television are named as defendants. These groups, the lawsuit alleges, pressured American mayors and media to shun Falun Gong and orchestrated menacing acts, such as threats, car break-ins and assaults, against U.S. [practitioners of Falun Gong].

The suit argues that the Chinese government has attempted to replicate in the U.S. the same climate of fear and vilification used to undermine the once popular group in China. The lawsuit says the effort has had a chilling effect: intimidating practitioners who fear reprisals against themselves or family in China, curtailing the group's ability to organize and thereby depriving believers of the rights accorded them under U.S. law.

The report says, "The suit seeks monetary damages in an amount to be determined at trial on behalf of 49 plaintiffs "for the continuous and violent repression of their fundamental rights and liberties." The lawsuit is likely to embarrass Beijing, which remains sensitive to any criticism of its 2.5-year crackdown against the spiritual movement. In a possible sign of defensiveness, Chinese President Jiang Zemin launched unbidden into an attack on Falun Gong as a dangerous [Jiang government's slanderous word] during a meeting with President Bush in Beijing in February. [...]

The report also says, Falun Gong has filed four suits before in the U.S., seeking damages against Chinese officials for crimes committed in China. One case was won by default and three are pending.

Whatever the outcome, Falun Gong remains a persistent worry for the Chinese government at home, despite the ongoing rhetoric and nearly ceaseless arrests. A month ago, cable television transmissions were disrupted in two northeastern cities simultaneously, with pro-Falun Gong footage replacing the nightly nationwide newscast. Falun Gong followers say the event caused weeks of police dragnets and scores of short-term detentions. Four people have been formally arrested so far and more are being sought, says a spokeswoman for Changchun, one of the cities involved.