(Clearwisdom.net) On January 26, 2005, Australia Day, the Banktown city government held an award ceremony in a park for citizens who had been nominated as "2004 Citizen of the Year." Falun Gong practitioner and painter Zhang Cuiying was nominated for her excellence in painting, richness in compassion and the contribution to human rights and freedom of belief. For calling on the Chinese communist party to stop the persecution of Falun Gong, Ms. Zhang was detained for 8 months in a Mainland prison, where she went through all kinds of torture.

Ms. Zhang demonstrated one torture method which is often used against practitioners in China

Nominees for the Citizen of the Year Award

Certificate of Recognition

On September 15, 2004, Ms. Zhang Cuiying filed a lawsuit against the former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin and the 610 Office for genocide, torture, and crimes against humanity. The case was accepted by the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia, and the two defendants were ordered to appear in court on December 10, 2004. During the ceremony, city officials and other participants expressed their support for the lawsuit. Zhang is using her own experience in China as evidence of the lawsuit. Two weeks ago, Ms. Zhang and other practitioners held an anti-torture exhibition in local art museum to demonstrate some of the torture methods used in China to force practitioners to denounce Falun Gong.

Ms. Zhang told participants of the award ceremony that the Supreme Court will issue its second order to summon Jiang Zemin and the 610 Office to appear in court in February. An official who knows the truth of the persecution said: "The lawsuit in democratic Australia against Jiang Zemin and other Chinese officials who have committed genocide and crimes against humanity should be supported, I hope that the lawsuit will succeed and the persecution will soon be ended."