Arrest Warrant for Gansu Province Party Committee Secretary Su Rong

On the 13th of November, 2004, authorities from the Republic of Zambia, Africa issued an arrest warrant for Su Rong, Gansu Province Party Committee Secretary, who failed to appear in court for a scheduled hearing. The Zambian police are currently searching for Su Rong, who was in Zambia as part of an official delegation.

The Zambian High Court issued and served a summons for Su Rong through a marshal, and he was required to stay in Lusaka, awaiting the hearing. But the defendant failed to appear in court on the 8th of November , so he was charged with contempt of court. His lawyer requested a special hearing on Saturday, 13th of November, so Su Rong would have an opportunity to defend himself, but he again failed to appear. The court then issued a bench warrant for contempt of court. Zambian customs was reportedly told not to let Su Rong leave the country until this matter is settled. The remainder of the official Chinese delegation left the country without him.

Su Rong was originally scheduled to visit four African countries.

At present, the crimes Su Rong has committed against Falun Gong during his tenure as an official in Jilin Province, Qinghai Province, and Gansu Province are now forcing him to face justice.

Between April of 1998 and October of 2001, Su Rong was Jilin Province's Party Committee Secretary and the head of Jilin Province's "Falun Gong Issue Leadership Group." He was in charge of the persecution of Falun Gong in Jilin Province. As such, he vehemently supported and sponsored this "reform," facilitating expulsion from the Party and the firing of many Falun Gong practitioners from their jobs. Falun Gong practitioners' death toll in Jilin Province ranks number two in China, for which Su Rong is primarily responsible. Furthermore, three out of the four verified torture deaths of Falun Gong practitioners in Qinghai Province happened during his tenure as a Qinghai Province official.

The Chinese delegation has by now returned to China, leaving Su Rong behind to face law and justice. He did not have the courage to face a possible trial, and instead chose to hide. Even if he can escape from Zambia and go back to China, he can still be arrested in any foreign country, should he ever leave China in the future.

The Chinese officials who participated in the persecution are shortsighted, in that they underestimated the Falun Gong practitioners' determination and strength. Trials against Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, and Zhou Yongkang are now in progress in over ten countries outside of China.

Due to pressure from Falun Gong practitioners and other voices of justice, Beijing is considering clearing Falun Gong's name. Even if Su Rong evades the Zambian court system, he will not be able to evade justice forever.

Falun Gong practitioners' lawsuits around the world are wielding greater power and influence. The next highly ranked Chinese official who is guilty of having persecuted Falun Gong to set foot on foreign soil may end up with not merely a summons but an arrest warrant and later a prison sentence.