Austria: Lawsuit Filed Against the Chief Perpetrators of the Persecution of Falun Gong

The Austrian Falun Gong Association and the International Society for Human Rights (IGFM) held a joint press conference on December 15th, 2006, in Landtmann, a well-known café in Vienna. They announced that a lawsuit has been filed against the chief perpetrators who were directly involved in the persecution of Falun Gong, including Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Li Lanqing, Liu Qi and some others. They are suspected of committing crimes of genocide and torture.

On December 14th, the IGFM and a number of Falun Gong practitioners who have suffered in the persecution imposed upon them by the Chinese Communist Party filed the lawsuit at the Vienna Prosecutor’s Office. The lawsuit is another influential event, following the visit of the former Canadian State Secretary for Asia and Pacific David Kilgour to Austria where he presented a report on the CCP harvesting organs from Falun Gong practitioners. This lawsuit also helps people from all circles in Austria to gain a deeper understanding of the CCP’s atrocities in the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
President of the IGFM Ms. Katharina Grieb said, “This is the most serious human rights abuse since the Nazis. I’m pleased to participate in the prosecution. It is also a very important issue, and has a direct impact over the persecution.”

Lawyer Mr. Michael Sommer said, “The lawsuit in Austria, should not be viewed as an isolated case, but should be viewed from the scope of the whole world. It is significant. It also helps those who have been involved in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and ordinary Chinese citizens to change their minds. When those who have been involved in the persecution leave china to go abroad, they are likely to be faced with lawsuits against them.”

One of the plaintiffs, Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Alexander Hamrle said, “As a Westerner, I was beaten for appealing for Falun Gong and mentally tormented in China. This incident helps the Westerners fundamentally understand the severity of the persecution.” Though four years have passed, he can still remember what a Chinese police officer said, “No international law or convention is adhered to in China.”
Another plaintiff Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Wang Yong said, “From the issue that my application for a passport extension was rejected by Chinese Embassy), we can see that the CCP persecution of Falun Gong has been systematic, targeting the whole group worldwide.”