(Clearwisdom.net) On May 27, the U.S. 7th Circuit Court in Chicago heard oral arguments in the lawsuit against Jiang. Falun Gong practitioners participated in activities worldwide in support of this lawsuit. The practitioners clarified the truth to the general public. They called attention to the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China.
Since September 2003, Taiwanese practitioners have held discussions with, and in support of such lawsuits with representatives of the legal community and related organizations. Recently, practitioners visited Legislative Committee members and clarified the truth to them. Consequently, dozens of Legislative Committee members jointly filed a legal proposal in support of the lawsuit against Jiang. More members are joining the proposal.
Hearing of the brutal torture and killing of practitioners in Mainland China, people from Taiwan have expressed strong sympathy and support. They condemned the atrocities perpetrated by Jiang's regime
First criminal case by the Taiwanese against Chinese officials, and the first case in which members of the Chinese community have brought charges against Jiang Zemin
On November 17, 2003, seven Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners, including Lin Hsiao-Kai and a juvenile victim filed a lawsuit in a Taiwan High Court, accusing former Chinese President Jiang Zemin, former Chinese Vice Premier Li Lanqing and members of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo with genocide. The lawsuit is based on a Taiwanese law for the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide, enacted in 1953. At that time, Falun Gong practitioners had filed lawsuits with similar charges against Jiang Zemin and his chief accomplices in 12 other countries.
Voices of Justice in the Legal Community
The Taiwan National Bar Association (TNBA), the largest association in the Taiwanese legal community, with over 4,000 members, published a resolution on October 25, 2003 to support Falun Gong practitioners' global lawsuits against Jiang Zemin. The Taiwan National Bar Association also urged China to immediately release all illegally imprisoned Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners and return them to Taiwan. This is the first bar association in the world that has openly expressed support for Falun Gong practitioners' lawsuits against Jiang Zemin.
Many attorneys in Taiwan signed the declaration that states: Based on principles of justice and to safeguard human rights, we call on all to stop Jiang and his accomplices' violent persecution of Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) practitioners and support global legal action to bring them to justice.
Falun Gong practitioners also visited many non-TNBA members and clarified the truth, handing them the Human Right Report of the United Nations. As a result, most of these attorneys also signed the TNBA declaration. Practitioners assembled the signed declarations and mailed them to the International Criminal Court.
Many judges called and expressed their appreciation for the truth-clarifying materials they received from the practitioners. They were shocked by the brutal persecution in China and irritated by the violent treatment that Taiwan practitioners received in Hong Kong. Some Judges even said that they would tell the truth to people in China when the opportunity arises. They also said that they would step forward if necessary.
Before the practitioners visited the judges, they had already mailed the Human Rights Report to them. During the visit, the judges asked many questions and extended their meetings from half an hour to more than an hour. They concluded the meeting only after the next visitor arrived. The TNBA Chairman, Mr. Guo Linyong, said that Falun Gong practitioners protested because they are persecuted. This in no way can be equated to involvement in politics. Their protesting is for the sole purpose of requesting their due legal rights. He also said that collecting signatures were very important, because the signature-collection activity concentrated many people's combined opinion and is an excellent vehicle for them to bring to the open their wish, to stop the persecution.
Support from related organizations
Chairman of Taiwan Human Rights Association (THRA) Wei Qian-Feng said that THRA would fully support the lawsuit against Jiang regime's serious violation of human rights and freedom of belief. Director of China Human Rights Association Wu Huilin said that people's voices asking for freedom couldn't be ignored. He wished that everyone should step forward and speak out against the injustice. Thus those who perpetrated evil would take notice and become scared. Mr. Lin Zhuoshui, Member of the Legislative Committee said that improvement of human kind were built on the courageous deeds of those seeking freedom, even when facing the intimidation of those in power. Jiang's persecution of Falun Gong will become a shameful part in the human rights history. He called for the Chinese government to obey the international human right laws and stop the persecution.
Voices of justice from the general public
Council member Liang said that after he heard about the brutal persecution that had lasted for 5 years, that he felt appalled. He also said that all the Falun Gong practitioners he had met were very good people. If Jiang continues his wrongdoings, he will be condemned by all people worldwide, and everyone should step forward and stop the persecution.
Council member He said that the lawsuit against Jiang was a blow to China and an opportunity for the Chinese people to take a look at themselves. The trampling of human rights will become the greatest shame in history, and Jiang's regime should be sent to the world court for their atrocities.
Professor Lai from Zhongshan Medical School talked about many Falun Gong practitioners he knew. He recounted what he found after they started the practice. All of them improved their personal character and disposition. Mr. Lai could not understand why the Jiang regime has wasted so much country resources to persecute such a group of people. The persecution only happens in China, and it's a violation of human rights. He also added that freedom of belief and human rights are the basic rights of human beings, which cannot be taken away by any government or any country.
A female manager in the field of telecommunication stated that people worldwide rejected Jiang regime's way of governing his people. She talked about her father's experience while in Beijing. The police suspected him to be a "problematic person." Therefore, they arrested and detained him for several days without any reason. Under such terror, people's lives are not secure at all. She said that it was hard to imagine how hard the situation would be for the practitioners in China; it's urgent to stop the persecution, so that everyone's human rights could be protected.
Clarify the truth to people and stop the Jiang regime from poisoning people of Taiwan
Dafa practitioners clarified the truth to the people in Taiwan. They collected signatures for the support of the global lawsuit against Jiang. They, at the same time, collected signatures for the rescue of practitioner Lin Hsiao-kai. The practitioners collected about 100,000 signatures within 2 weeks. As a result of public opinion, Mr. Lin Hsiao-kai regained her freedom and returned to Taiwan after being detained for 20 days in China.
On October 28, Falun Dafa Association of Taiwan set off on the "Cycle Around the Island Rescue Trip." They were collecting signatures, and asked the Taiwanese people sign petitions calling on the Chinese government to release detained Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners in China. The activity received much support from many people.
On November 17, 2003, Taiwan Falun Gong practitioners filed a lawsuit in a Taiwan High Court, accusing Jiang Zemin of committing the crime of genocide. To express support for the lawsuit, about ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners from various places in Taiwan gathered in front of the President's Office on the morning of November 15, and held a Conference to Support Ending the Persecution of Human Beings, Safeguarding Basic Human Rights and the Public Trial of Jiang Zemin. A press conference was also held.
Media paid close attention to the lawsuit against Jiang. AP, BBC, VOA, Central News Agency, Central Daily, Apple Daily, Chinatimes, Public Television Service, China Post, Taibei Times, and Minshi News gave extensive coverage to the lawsuit. As a result, more people learned about the truth.
The lawsuit against Jiang helps stop the persecution. The lawsuit is against Jiang's regime, not the Chinese government. Falun Gong practitioners hope that the Chinese government stops being the Jiang regime's tool and actively help end the brutal persecution. We hope that everyone, including the government and law communities, will lend their support and voice on behalf of justice and condemn the Jiang regime, bring the perpetrator of murder and torture to court and end the large-scale persecution.