(Minghui.org) The Supreme Administrative Court of Thailand on August 4, 2015, reversed rulings by the lower court and the Interior Ministry, which refused to allow Falun Gong practitioners to register. The higher court ruled that the group was lawful and constitutional.
The decision was made during the time when more than 120 thousand Falun Gong practitioners in China and overseas were filing criminal complaints against former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin for launching and directing the persecution.
The Chinese government has been exerting pressure on the Thai government, and trying to extend the persecution policy to Thailand.
Falun Gong practitioners filed a document on January 4, 2005 in the Phayathai District, to register the “Falun Gong Association of Thailand.” On September 27, the Interior Ministry's Local Administration Department rejected the registration, using the excuse that the registration would negatively impact Thailand's relationship with China.
Practitioners filed a suit with the Administrative Court against the registrar over the rejection. The local administrative court ruled in favor of the Interior Ministry on February 2, 2006. Local practitioners then started the 10-year long lawsuit.
In court on August 4, Falun Gong practitioners stated that the Interior Ministry's refusal was based on the propaganda from the Chinese government. They argued that the practice of Falun Gong is guided by the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and is beneficial both physically and mentally.
The Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the Civic Code, Article 82 (1), allows the registrar to endorse an association if it is not unethical, abides by the law, does not disrupt peace and stability, or threaten security.
The reason for registering the Falun Gong association as given by the applicants was to “promote Qiqong exercise in the Falun Gong style and exchange news and information among practitioners and the general public that has no political or profit-making agenda.”
The court said that the application should not be seen as going against the law, disturbing morality, or as a threat to national security.
The court said, “The Local Administrative Department's claim that the supporters of Falun Gong were outlawed in China, and that allowing registration of the group would affect bilateral relations, has nothing to do with this group of people who are registering an association in Thailand.”
The 610 Office's Attempts to Extend the Persecution Overseas Have Failed
Under Jiang Zemin's direction, the 610 Office, the major, unlawful organization that carries out the persecution of Falun Gong, has been trying to extend the persecution policy overseas.
For example, after the City of Kingston, Canada proclaimed May 13, 2012 as Falun Dafa Day, Chinese special agents impersonating practitioners sent emails to a city government official, trying to discredit Falun Gong. The emails were forwarded to local practitioners, who told the government officials what Falun Gong really is. The city government officials indicated that they would not be interfered with by the fraudulent emails, and would support Falun Gong in the future.
On May 13, 2013, the city of Kingston issued a proclamation to Falun Gong again. The city has proclaimed Falun Gong seven years in a row, including 2015.
Another example in Canada took place in May 2015, when more than ten Canadian Members of Parliament (MPs) say they received emails from people posing as Falun Gong practitioners. The emails were filled with threatening and derogatory language. The cases were reported by practitioners to the Hate Crime Unit of the Ottawa police.
Many MPs replied to a practitioner who clarified what had taken place, and thanked her for the letter. Few believed that the malicious e-mails were from practitioners in the first place. They are now offering to help practitioners investigate this occurrence.
Deputy Green Party Leader Bruce Hyer said, “I don’t believe that the Falun Dafa, who believe in peace, in truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, are going to threaten MPs. So it seemed probable to me that the Communist Party of China or Party supporters are doing this to discredit Falun Dafa.”
The third example is from New Zealand. An email was mistakenly sent by New Zealand’s foreign minister to members of Parliament on May 5, 2015. In the leaked email, which was intended only for National Party MP's, foreign minister Murray McCully told MPs not to attend a World Falun Dafa Day (May 13) celebration.
David Shearer, the Labour Party’s Foreign Affairs spokesman, said to the press, “It is outrageous to warn MPs off from attending events. It should not be dictated to by Murray McCully and his ministry because they feel it might upset another country.”
