Sweden: Falun Gong Practitioners and Human Rights Lawyer Announce Lawsuit Against Prime Culprits in the Persecution of Falun Gong at a Joint Press Conference

At 1:00pm on the 21st of September 2004, Swedish Falun Gong practitioners and Swedish human rights lawyer Peter Bergquist held a joint press conference at Mynttorget Square in Stockholm, announcing that a lawsuit is to be filed against Jiang Zemin and his accomplices for persecuting Falun Gong.

Since Jiang Zemin, China’s former head of state, initiated the large-scale persecution against Falun Gong in July 1999, countless numbers of innocent Chinese people have suffered inhuman persecution and lost their basic human rights. Many have been persecuted to death. Jiang Zemin and his accomplices established the “6-10” office, an organisation functioning like a Chinese Gestapo, to carry out the nationwide systematic violence and terror against Falun Gong practitioners. Following Falun Gong’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, practitioners have always used peaceful means in their efforts to stop the persecution.

At the press conference, a representative of Falun Gong pointed out that although the prime culprit of the persecution is China’s former head of state, the crimes committed by him and his accomplices still exist, and the persecution is continuing. We hope that this lawsuit will tell people that the persecution against Falun Gong in China is wrong and that there is still justice in the world. We also hope the persecution would be ended soon. Falun Gong practitioners also read out a support letter from the Swedish branch of Amnesty International.

Human rights lawyer Peter Bergquist said at the press conference that China is a nation where the legal system is not independent; human rights are often used as a tool for trade and finance. Although Falun Gong is non-political, because the number of practitioners exceeded the membership of Chinese communist party, it was seen as a threat. Many countries around the world filed lawsuits against the prime culprits of this persecution, Sweden is no exception. We will bring those criminals in persecuting Falun Gong to justice in China, Sweden and other nations.

Member of European Parliament and Swedish parliament Mrs Helena Bargholtz, who is a specialist in the human rights field, also made a speech at the press conference to support the justice action of lawsuits by Falun Gong practitioners and the human rights lawyer Peter Bergquist against the prime culprits in the persecution of Falun Gong. She said in her speech, “I admire the courage of Falun Gong practitioners, especially the courage of Falun Gong practitioners in China who still face the persecution!”

Lawyer Peter Bergquist

Falun Gong practitioners also organised an anti-torture exhibition at Mynttorget Square, which attracted a great response from the Swedish people. A few Swedish Parliament members also came to see the exhibition and expressed their support to Falun Gong practitioners.

Many Swedish media attended the activity and interviewed Falun Gong practitioners, Peter Bergquist and the Swedish Parliament member.

MP Helena Bargholtz