LONDON (EFGIC) – Falun Gong practitioners in the UK are initiating a criminal action against Jiang Zemin, former president of China, for his personal responsibility, from 1999 onwards, in the persecution of the 100 million adherents of the ancient Chinese system of moral discipline, Falun Gong, which is centred on Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. The action concerns the torture of a male UK resident, who has now been granted asylum here.

"He was living in China and was arrested in 1999. He was detained for 8 months during which time he was tortured; he was arbitrarily detained; he was denied his rights of legal representation; and he was subjected to quite harsh and inappropriate behaviour," said Mr James Oury, of Messrs Oury Clark Solicitors.

In a separate submission, Matthew Gold and Co Solicitors will submit to the FCO a list of the names of 10 Chinese officials who have played a key role in the persecution, with a view to banning their entry into the UK. The Canadian Government has already banned the entry of listed individuals, including these 10 names.

These processes in the UK follow legal actions already filed in other countries including the US, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Canada and Australia.

In Australia, a high profile Australian lawyer, Chris Nyst, travelled to Geneva on 6th April to formally lodge a complaint with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights alleging an Australian citizen was persecuted in China. Mr Geoffrey Robertson QC, the London- based human rights barrister, is also associated with the action.

The International Forum 2004 held in Stockholm in January 2004, with some 50 Governments represented, issued a Resolution to the effect that the continued persecution in China is a most serious manifestation of genocide and warrants further action by governments with a view to its termination. The British FCO Minister, Mr Bill Rammell MP, made a strong statement calling for action to protect groups under threat and to bring perpetrators of genocide to justice.

A Press Conference will be held outside the Chinese Embassy at 2 pm on Sunday 25th April.

NEWS – April 23, 2004
European Falun Gong Information Centre, www.clearharmony.net

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about), is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." Practiced in over 50 countries world-wide, Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture. With government estimates of as many as 100 million practicing Falun Gong, China's Communist leader Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999 (report). Since that time, Jiang's regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it. The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of 951 deaths (reports / sources) since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. In October 2001, however, Government officials inside China reported that the actual death toll was well over 1,600. Expert sources now estimate that figure to be much higher. Hundreds of thousands have been detained, with more than 100,000 being sentenced to forced labor camps, typically without trial.