FDI: Chinese Newspaper in Canada on Trial for Publishing Hate Literature

The Quebec Superior Court building where the trial against a Canadian-based Chinese language newspaper is underway for publishing anti-Falun Gong hate literature that echoes articles on Chinese Government websites.

A trial against a Canadian-based Chinese language newspaper, Les Presses Chinoises, for libel and incitement of hatred will enter its second week of proceedings today before the Quebec Superior Court.

Falun Gong practitioners in Canada say they filed the lawsuit after the newspaper published numerous articles from November 2001 through August 2002 slandering individuals and attacking their spiritual beliefs.

Les Presses Chinoises continued to publish the defamatory articles despite three Quebec Superior Court injunctions ordering a stop to the articles. The newspaper is also scheduled to face contempt of court charges for continuing to publish defamatory articles against Falun Gong, following the court orders. One of the authors of the articles and defendants in the case, Ms. Bing He, is said to have returned to China, presumably to avoid facing charges.

The contents of the articles were devoted to attacking Falun Gong practitioners with highly inflammatory claims that included accusations of "sucking blood" and bestiality. Much of the content of the articles was nearly a verbatim repetition of anti-Falun Gong propaganda posted on the official website for the Chinese Embassy in Canada.

Twenty Canadian citizens or residents who practise Falun Gong were named specifically in the articles.

Professor David Ownby, the director of the University of Montreal East Asian Studies program undertook a 4-year sociological study of Falun Gong. He testified on Tuesday as an expert witness, and presented the conclusions of his study. "Falun Gong practitioners in North America are"..."well educated" and "more successful than the average Canadian," stated Professor Ownby. He stated that the credo of "Truth, Compassion and Forbearance" appears to be of central importance to practitioners and that practitioners place an emphasis on moral conduct.

Testimony was heard Friday from Professor Kunlun Zhang, a 63-year old Canadian citizen who was arrested and tortured in China for his belief in Falun Gong. After three months, Professor Zhang was rescued and returned to Canada with the help of the Canadian government, media pressure and groups like Amnesty International. While on the stand, Professor Zhang told of his sufferings in detention, and in tears described that reading the articles in Les Presses Chinoises felt like he was no longer in Canada but back in China again.

This marks the first time that Falun Gong practitioners who have suffered from illegal detention and torture in China have testified about their experiences in China before a western court of law.

Legal experts say the trial is poised to test the boundaries between freedom of expression and freedom of the press, and the right to be protected from defamation and hate.

"We live in a multicultural society as proclaimed in our constitution and Charter of Rights," says plaintiff counsel Me. Michael Bergman. "Canadians have the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press, but they also have the right to have freedom from hate and fear."

Petitioner Lucy Zhou says the issues touched upon by the trial, indeed, run deep. "The real issue here is that this newspaper is being used as a voice for Communist Chinese hate propaganda," says Ms. Zhou. "The outcome of this trial will decide if the Chinese regime can distort the spirit of the freedoms in the West to spread hate. That's a terrifying prospect for everyone...not just Falun Gong practitioners."

Within the context of the case, the court will hear evidence concerning the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China (news) and the propaganda distributed by the Chinese government outside of China, including in Canada. Lawyers for Les Presses Chinoises attempted to object to any evidence about the persecution and torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China being brought before the court. The court, however, dismissed the objections and is allowing such evidence to be presented.

The trial, which began in Quebec Superior Court in Montreal on Monday November 10, is scheduled to continue until November 27 in Room 5.15. In the first week, each day has drawn an audience of approximately 200 people.

For more information, please contact attorney Me. Michael Bergman 514-249-1177 (c) or petitioner Lucy Zhou 613-720-1551 (c ).

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Background

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. It is a practice that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but it is distinct and separate from other practices such as the religions of Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50 countries.

With government estimates of as many as 100 million practicing Falun Gong, Chinas then-Communist leader, Jiang Zemin, outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999, fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiangs regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it. To that end, Jiang established the 6-10 Office, a Gestapo-like agency spanning from the Central Government to the local governments. The United States Congress has described the 6-10 Office as an agency charged with overseeing the persecution of Falun Gong members through organized brainwashing, torture, and murder.

The Falun Dafa Information Centre has verified details of 803 deaths 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 labour camps, typically without trial.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EUROPEAN FALUN GONG INFORMATION CENTRE–
Gail Rachlin 917-501-4441, Levi Browde 914-720-0963, Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, or Christina Chai 917-386-5068.
Email: [email protected]