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The President of the international organisation, "Track Impunity Always", stated that Jiang Zemin launched the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners all alone in China and set up a Gestapo-like organisation, the "610" Office to specifically persecute Falun Gong. Therefore, Jiang must answer for the more than 600 Falun Gong practitioners' deaths during the persecution over the past nearly four years. At the press conference, attorney Philip Grand declared that he would represent several Falun Gong practitioners who had been suffering from persecution and file a lawsuit in Switzerland against Jiang Zemin. Once Jiang steps onto the soil of Switzerland, he will face formal legal litigation.
In addition to the lawsuit to be filed in Switzerland, the organisation, "Track Impunity Always" will cooperate with Falun Dafa Associations worldwide and together with reputable human rights attorneys all over the world, form a coalition to indict Jiang Zemin, so as to tighten the net of justice around Jiang and help victims to receive justice.
Mr. Grand said that according to witnesses' testimonies and large quantities of information from different sources, the Jiang regime violates the International Convention against Torture. What they have done also constitutes the crime of genocide as defined in international criminal law. Starting from March 14, 2003, Jiang Zemin is no longer the president of China, and he will no longer be able to enjoy the perogative of immunity granted to a head of state. In addition, according to resolutions passed at the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1948, "Persons committing genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in Article 3 shall be punished, whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals."
"Track Impunity Always" is a non-governmental organisation in Switzerland, dedicated to suing those who have committed crimes against humanity such as torture and genocide, but have not been punished due to various reasons, in Swiss courts or international criminal court. The organisation will also defend the victims in court.
The plaintiffs' attorney said, China approved and signed the International Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment. China should abide by these conventions. No matter if China as a nation, or someone in China as an individual violates these conventions, they should be charged for what they have done. Not only should the homeland enforce the violations of these international conventions, but a third country can also apply legal actions against international criminals, as long as the third country has this kind of law.
Falun Gong practitioners Dai Zhizhen, Zhao Ming and Wang Yuzhi, who had suffered persecution in China related their personal experiences at the press conference. Australian citizen, Ms. Dai Zhizhen's husband was tortured to death by police officers in June 2001 in China. Zhao Ming, a graduate student from Ireland suffered two years of tortures in a forced labour camp. Ms. Wang Yuzhi who was recently rescued and currently lives in Canada was tortured so badly by the Wanjia Forced labour Camp in Harbin City that she passed out a number of times. They voiced the same message -- For the sake of hundreds of thousands of persecuted Falun Gong practitioners, Jiang must be charged for the crimes he has committed in persecuting Falun Gong.
The plaintiffs' attorney said that those Chinese officials who participate in persecuting Falun Gong should understand that they will be charged one day for what they have committed.
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Attachment: Statement from the organisation, "Track Impunity Always" to Swiss Media
Whereas:
-- The People's Republic of China approved On October 4, 1988 and signed on October 5, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and signed the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights on December 16, 1966;
-- Human right is part of the international law because it manifests the general acknowledgement of human's dignity;
-- Human rights include freedoms of association and assembly (article 22), inherent right to life, right to liberty and security of person (articles 6, 9, and 17), or forbidding torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of punishment (article 7, 10; International Convention Against Torture), and forbidding arbitrary detention or violations of other judicatory procedures;
Victims will attend the press conference and bear witness:
Mr. Zhao Ming: a student from Ireland, had been imprisoned in a forced labour camp for two years. He was released in March 2002 with support from Irish government and Amnesty International.
Ms. Wang Yuzhi: a 46-year-old businesswoman from Harbin City, China, was cruelly tortured by the Wanjia Forced labour Camp, notorious for its torture, simply because she practises Falun Gong. She was released only after she was tortured to the verge of death. After obtaining a special urgent visa issued by the Canadian government, she went to live in Canada in November 2002.
Ms. Dai Zhizhen: Australian citizen. Her husband was tortured to death. Under the pressure from the Australian government, she finally was able to receive her husband's ashes.
Ms. Zhang Xiaotian: Calling to rescue her family members who are persecuted in China. Her younger sister is currently imprisoned and enduring persecution. Her brother-in-law was tortured to death in a forced labour camp. Her mother died of sudden heart disease after suffering persecution. Her younger sister's 2-year-old daughter has no one to take care of her. Her other sister was forced to leave home and become destitute to avoid further persecution.
Plaintiffs' attorney Philip Grand:
The plaintiffs' attorney, also the President of "Track Impunity Always" will file a criminal lawsuit against Jiang Zemin. He will carry out corresponding legal actions when Jiang Zemin comes to Switzerland next time. In addition, an international group composed of a number of human rights lawyers are taking actions to forwardly safeguard the Chinese human rights victims and to form a global network to sue Jiang Zemin and tighten the net of justice over Jiang.
The three major reasons for suing Jiang Zemin are:
1. Torture
2. Crimes against humanity
3. Genocide
Chinese version available at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200303/18481.html
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