Belgium: Major International Media pay attention to the Lawsuit against Jiang

On August 20th, six Falun Gong practitioners officially submitted a lawsuit to the Belgian federal court against Jiang Zemin for crimes against humanity and genocide. Major international media expressed their concern over the lawsuit and produced reports about it. Besides reports from CNN, The Guardian, Reuters, AFP, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Belgian media also reported on the lawsuit in French and Dutch.

CNN reported: Falun Gong practitioners sued the former Chinese communist leader, Jiang Zemin, for genocide. Six of the plaintiffs come from different countries, including Belgium, the United States, and Australia. The report said that China imprisoned thousands of practitioners, hundreds of whom died of torture in detention. The lawsuit cited that Jiang planned to destroy Falun Gong.

The CNN report quoted the statement of the lawyer for the plaintiffs, “The reason why we decided to file the lawsuit and bear the responsibility of the security of so many people is that my clients and I all agree that the lawsuit is very likely to be accepted.”

The Guardian reported on August 21: Six Falun Gong practitioners filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin yesterday in Brussels. One of the plaintiffs, Matthias Slatts, said that Falun Gong practitioners in Belgium, the United States and Australia were filing similar lawsuits against Jiang Zemin for torture, crimes against humanity and genocide. The report said the lawyer Georges-Henri Beauthier was full of confidence that the court would place this case on file for investigation and prosecution. The lawyer said that in September there would be further progress.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported: Six Falun Gong practitioners are going to file a lawsuit under the Belgian New Law against the former Chinese communist leader for genocide. The Belgian Parliament has just passed the New Law. “The New Law, which covers ‘serious violations of international humanitarian law,’ allows suits to be brought only if there is a link between the alleged crimes and Belgium.”

Reuters reported that the renowned Belgian lawyer Georges-Henri Beauthier is representing Falun Gong to prosecute the former Chinese communist leader. The lawyer said that Jiang’s persecution of Falun Gong spiritual movement is against Belgian human rights laws.

AFP reported: a lawsuit against the former Chinese communist leader, Jiang Zemin, for genocide, was officially filed under the Belgian New Law by six Falun Gong practitioners. The lawyer Georges-Henri Beauthier, who is representing Falun Gong, said in one statement that the plaintiffs accuse Jiang Zemin who remains the head of China’s military, of torture, crimes against humanity and genocide. The lawsuit was filed under the Belgian New Law passed on August 5 2003.

The report quoted the statement of Georges-Henri Beauthier: “Jiang’s horrific form of genocide not just destroys lives, but destroys faith. It is a terror that should not be allowed to exist in the modern world. It is a terror that must be brought to justice.”

The report said, “The new law, which covers ‘serious violations of international humanitarian law,’ allows suits to be brought only if there is a link between the alleged crimes and Belgium.” “One of the plaintiffs in the new case, 31-year-old Belgian computer programmer Matthias Slatts . . . said the lawsuit fulfilled the required criteria.”

RTBF (French Broadcasting Cooperation in Belgium) reported: The plaintiffs filed a lawsuit under the Belgian New Law, charging Jiang with genocide and crimes against humanity. They stated that Jiang systematically planned to destroy Falun Gong in China. One of the plaintiffs of the lawsuit in Belgium is a Belgian citizen.

Translated from Chinese at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200308/23525.html