Finland: A Righteous Human Rights Lawyer

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At 8am on the 11th of September 2003, renowned Finnish lawyer Mr. Erkki Kannisto handed in a lawsuit against Luo Gan for crimes of genocide and torture to both the Finnish Court and the Police Court in Helsinki, on behalf of the Finnish Falun Gong Association. This incident was a big surprise for the legal community and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Kannisto accepted this case on the 10th of September, a day before handing in the lawsuit. After two hours of listening to practitioners telling him about the persecution of Falun Dafa, what Falun Dafa is, why practitioners want to sue the criminal head of “610” Office, and their requirements for the lawsuit, he decided that he would like to be their lawyer and participate in suing Luo Gan for crimes of genocide and torture.

Dafa practitioners clarified the facts to him and gave him some relevant information while reminding him that the accused would try to take advantage of the right to immunity. He finished reading the materials very quickly and said that a “person who has committed enormous crimes such as genocide will not have any immunity.”

Even though time was short, he began by agreeing that he would finish the lawsuit before Luo Gan could leave Finland, allowing Dafa practitioners to hand the lawsuit to the Law Court and the Police Court in Rovaniemi. As Mr. Kannisto continued to listen to practitioners clarify the facts, his righteousness gradually became strong; he completed the lawsuit a day early. He agreed that before Luo Gan left the capital of Finland the next morning, he would accompany Dafa practitioners to hand the lawsuit to the Helsinki Law Court and Police Court.

During this limited time, Mr. Kannisto worked with Dafa practitioners overnight. He prepared the lawsuit whilst practitioners simultaneously did their best to translate any necessary materials into Finnish. At six o’clock the next day, Dafa practitioners checked all the material before printing out the lawsuit and other relevant information, all of which was sent to the Law Court, the Police Court and the media.

At 8am on the 11th of September, Mr. Kannisto, together with two practitioners, handed the lawsuit to the Law Court and the Police Court according to legal protocol.

After handing in the lawsuit, Mr. Kannisto accepted an interview from a reporter. When he was answering questions, he said: “Today I am entrusted by the Falun Dafa Association of Finland to hand in a lawsuit against Luo Gan for crimes of genocide and torture and for the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, to the Highest National Inquisitor and the Police Criminal Law Court in Helsinki, Finland. This indictment is to be examined by police before a decision by the Highest National Inquisitor whether this case should go to trial in Finland or not. I think this business is to preserve justice for mankind. A criminal who has committed such crimes as genocide, will have to face the consequence of being arrested while visiting a foreign country.”

Although the head of “610” Office left Finland in a hurry and escaped the trial, more people came to know the truth about the persecution and Falun Dafa because of this.

Mr. Kannisto said to Dafa practitioners on the phone: “While co-operating with Dafa practitioners, I felt extremely happy.” He also said that if necessary, he would continue to help persecuted Dafa practitioners so that they can obtain justice.


Translated from Chinese at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200309/24621.html

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