United States: President Bush Signs New Legislation That Denies Entry to Those Who Have Engaged in Torture

On December 17th, 2004, United States President George W. Bush signed into law the Anti-Atrocity Alien Deportation Act in Washington, D.C. The act authorises the Justice Department to track down foreigners who have engaged in war crimes, torture, genocide, religious persecution, or other human rights violations. These foreigners will face denial of entry or deportation.

As reported by the Associated Press, this act, introduced in Congress five years ago, was part of the intelligence overhaul bill that Bush signed into law. Under this new legislation, the scope of immigrants subject to deportation and denial of entry has been expanded to those who have engaged in torture, genocide and religious persecution.

This legislation has given the Justice Department expanded powers in tracking down foreigners who have committed war crimes or human rights violations in their home countries. It has also expanded the legal grounds of inadmissibility and deportability covering foreigners who have committed acts of torture or extrajudicial killings abroad and removing the restrictions on "genocide" and "foreign government officials who have committed particularly severe violations of religious freedom."

Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D., Vt.), who co-sponsored the bill in the Senate, said it updated the charter of the Justice Department's Office of Special Investigations, which was set up in 1979 to prosecute and remove Nazi war criminals who sought refuge in this country. The new law will allow the Justice Department to investigate war criminals of later generations and human rights abusers, as well.

Rep. Mark Foley (R., Fla.), who co-sponsored the bill in the House, said in a statement, "The United States is currently home to many immigrants who fled torture in their home countries. What many people don't know is that their torturers also come here to live."

In March 2004, the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG) submitted a list of names of 102 Chinese government officials, including Jiang Zemin, who should take most of the responsibility in the persecution of Falun Gong, and asked the U.S. government to bar them from entering the United States.

List of names of 102 Chinese government officials who have abused human rights, including Jiang Zemin, submitted to the U.S. government

The 102 Chinese government officials on this list should take most of the responsibility in the widespread crimes against humanity committed during the persecution of Falun Gong, including murdering Falun Gong practitioners, torture that has led to injuries and permanent physical disability, sending Falun Gong practitioners to detention centres and labour camps arbitrarily, imposing large fines on practitioners, causing the disappearance of practitioners using the same measures employed by underground figures of organised crime, or otherwise depriving practitioners of their rights to life, freedom, and safety. All of these crimes have been carried out against law-abiding people simply because of their belief in Falun Gong.

The No. 1 perpetrator, Jiang Zemin, and his followers Luo Gan, Liu Jing, Zhou Yongkang, Li Lanqing, Wang Maolin and others are on the list. WOIPFG's document has pointed out that since July 1999, Jiang Zemin, out of jealousy, resorted to torture and other unprecedented measures to systematically force Falun Gong students to give up their belief in "Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance." Jiang has coerced and enticed with economic incentives, officials and police officers to also engage in the crimes. He encourages them to violate their conscience, and has alternately threatened them with implication and promised financial rewards in his mission to turn the entire society against human decency and conscience.

The crimes listed in the report to the U.S. government are supported by hard facts of grave severity. It is expected that more countries will pass legislation that denies entry to those perpetrators who have persecuted Falun Gong students. The evil is to have nowhere to hide.

US Court Affirms That Beijing Party Secretary Liu Qi Is Liable for Crimes of Torture

Some officials have already been found guilty in the U.S. After a one-year trial, on December 8, 2004, Judge Wilkin of the United States District Court Northern District of California affirmed a magistrate's ruling that Beijing Communist Party Secretary Liu Qi is liable for the crimes of torture and anti-humanity of the police under his administration in persecution of Falun Gong.

The civil lawsuit was filed in 2002 by two citizens of China, two Swiss citizens, one French, and one American based on the Alien Tort Claims Act and Torture Victim Protection Act. The six plaintiffs were beaten brutally and tortured in Beijing, including Leeshai Lemish, who was arrested and beaten brutally for appealing for Falun Gong on Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 2001

Liu Qi was Mayor of Beijing at the time, and received the subpoena in San Francisco on his way to Salt Lake City to attend the Winter Olympics as director of the Chinese Olympic team. He was charged for crimes of torture, other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, arbitrary detention, crimes against humanity, and interference with freedom of religion and belief.

On June 11, 2003, a Magistrate found that Liu was guilty and not entitled to the immunity given foreign officials and sent his recommendation to the District Court. On December 8, 2004, the district judge adopted the magistrate's recommendations that Liu was guilty.

Jiang Zemin among 45 Chinese officials placed on a watch list by Canadian Royal Mounted Police

In September of 2003, the Canadian Falun Dafa Association submitted to officials of Canada-based Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes Program (CAHWCP) a list of names of 15 people who have initiated and actively participated in the persecution of Falun Gong, as well as evidence of the crimes that they have committed. At the end of January 2004, a list of 30 more people was submitted to CAHWCP. As a result, since January 2004, the Canadian Royal Mounted Police has on their watch list 45 leaders of the Chinese Communist Party committees at various levels, heads of 610 Offices, government officials and labour camp officers.

On the list are Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Li Lanqing, Liu Qi, among others. The Canadian Royal Mounted Police has accepted the list of names and the evidence. It has been verified that official records have been established in Canada's Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes Program. If any individual who is suspected to have participated in the persecution of Falun Gong enters Canada, the Canadian police will immediately open an investigation. Based on Canada's anti-humanity and anti-war crime legislation, if the charges are held, the person being investigated will face deportation, expulsion, or criminal lawsuits. Such an individual is not qualified for diplomatic exemption.

Evildoers have nowhere to escape but to face trial

In December 2001 the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York ruled against Zhao Zhifei, chief of police and second-in command of the 610 Office in Hubei Province. So far, a total of four similar civil lawsuits in the U.S. have already seen judgements in favour of Falun Gong.

Many Chinese officials have since realised that they cannot escape from punishment, no matter which corner of the world they run to. High-ranking Chinese officials participating in the persecution of Falun Gong have been placed in an awkward position in their recent visits overseas, fearing the possible charges brought up against them by Falun Gong students.

The Party Secretary of Gansu Province, Su Rong, was served with a summons delivered by a Marshall of the Zambia High Court on the afternoon of November 4, 2004. He was on the delegation led by Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the standing committee of China's National People's Congress. Falun Dafa practitioners filed a civil law suit against Su for his crimes of murder, torture and defamation of Falun Dafa practitioners during his tenure as the Head of the Jilin Provincial 610 Office.

After almost ten days of hiding and under an arrest warrant, Su crossed the Chirundu border post in Zambia, and hid in Zimbabwe, then escaped to South Africa and flew back to China on Monday evening, November 15, 2004. Falun Dafa practitioners expressed that they will not give up, and intend to bring Su Rong to justice by taking his case to The International Court of Justice in The Hague.

So far, Falun Gong students worldwide have filed lawsuits against Jiang Zemin and his followers in 28 countries on the grounds of torture and other cruel treatment, genocide, and human rights abuses. History will demonstrate that dictators and their followers who have committed such crimes have nowhere to hide.