France: Persecution of Falun Gong on the Agenda at Human Rights Conference for Lawyers in Caen

During the Second World War, the French city of Caen, in Normandy, was totally destroyed as a result of the bombing it suffered. This city also witnessed the landing of allied troops who made possible the defeat of German troops and the Nazi regime, and who later discovered the horrors of the concentration camps where countless human beings were tortured and assassinated in the cruelest of ways.

The city of Caen and its citizens suffered tremendously during the war and for that reason, with a strong desire for peace in the world and to prevent people from forgetting the atrocities that were committed, 20 years ago in Caen they established a Caen Memorial, an authentic Museum for Peace.

Since 1990 in Caen, they have been hosting a human rights conference for lawyers from around the world, who present different cases related to violation of human rights in order to denounce them before the public and in this way allow many people to know about them and to work together to eradicate and eliminate them. The lawyers who are selected can present their cases before an audience of more than 2,000 people, including many high officials and important people in the world of law, economics, and politics, amongst others.

This conference is sponsored by the International Association of Lawyers, the International Association of Young Lawyers, the French National Council of Law Schools, the Caen and Paris School of Lawyers, the Caen Memorial and other organisations.

Amongst the 10 cases selected this year, 2004 in Caen, one dealt with the persecution of Falun Gong in China, detailing specifically the cruel mental and physical tortures suffered by Chinese painter and Falun Gong practitioner, Mrs. Zhang Cuiying.

A Dafa practitioner and lawyer from Spain, Mr. Carlos Iglesias, was able to present before more than 2,000 people on January 25th, 2004, the situation of the persecution of Falun Gong in China and the evilness of what he himself classified as a true genocide. He clearly explained the roots of this genocide and the direct and personal responsibility of Jiang Zemin and the repressive genocidal organisation known as the 610 Office, headed by Luo Gan, responsible for the horrible torture and murder of thousands of people and for the persecution against 100 million innocent people in China, none of whom are being given their basic rights to freedom of personal and spiritual beliefs. Speaking in French, he was able to clarify the truth to numerous lawyers from around the world and to the public in general of Caen, in the presence of local media and television from Caen and French national stations.

Carlos Iglesias stated, "This persecution is directed against people who are truthful, benevolent and tolerant, and is therefore an attempt to eliminate morality from the world. Jiang Zemin has done this through the use of huge economic resources and through the absolute control of the mass media."

After a general introduction of the persecution of Falun Gong, at the end he presented the case of Falun Gong practitioner Mrs. Zhang Cuiying, who suffered physical and mental torture for eight months in a labour camp in China, and who was finally released thanks to the intervention of the Australian Government and the help of numerous practitioners.

Over 30 practitioners also supported the efforts at the Caen Memorial. They distributed flyers to all the people who attended and were able to clarify the truth and save many sentient beings.

"Evil will never, ever prevail over Truth, Benevolence and Tolerance", were among the words pronounced by the practitioner lawyer speaking in French, and in this way the power of Dafa spread through Caen. "Falun Dafa Hao" (Falun Gong is great) were the final words pronounced by Carlos Iglesias, and these were followed by long and loud applause by the attending crowd.

This case was included in a book that made up the ten cases presented this year at Caen, and this should also allow more people to learn the truth of Falun Gong and about the persecution.