Canada: Falun Gong Practitioners' Lawsuit Against Jiang Makes a Breakthrough

On July 17th, 2006, the plaintiffs, who have filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin and four other Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials for torture, requested the court be dispensed with service to the defendants of the statement of claim and other court materials. The Ontario Superior Court granted their request. Plaintiffs' attorney Kate Kempton said, "The victory clears the way for a default judgment on the civil lawsuit."

The lawsuit accused that the five defendants, which included Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Li Lanqing, Liu Jing and Wang Maolin who orchestrated a systematic and brutal persecution of six Canadian plaintiffs and hundreds of thousands of other Falun Gong practitioners in China. One of the plaintiffs, Professor Kunlun Zhang, was a Canadian citizen at the time of his detention and torture in China.

The CCP authorities have refused to accept the documents that the plaintiffs delivered through normal legal means.

Master Glustein of the Ontario Superior Court said in the five-page decision, "The plaintiffs have done everything in [their] power to effect service of the claim."

He also stated that it is in the interests of justice that service be dispensed so that the case may proceed. "The plaintiffs will not be able to pursue any of these claims (systematic persecution and violations of genocide, torture and crimes against humanity) unless the Court dispenses with service."

The six plaintiffs were satisfied with the court's decision, and hoped that the court will continue upholding justice in later proceedings. If the defendants do not respond to the suit, the trial will receive a default decision.

On November 15th, 2004, Canadian citizen Kunlun Zhang and five other Ontario residents filed a civil lawsuit with the Ontario Supreme Court against former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin and CCP high-ranking officials including Li Lanqing, Luo Gan, Liu Jing and Wang Maolin. These people are primarily responsible for the torture and persecution imposed upon the six plaintiffs and hundreds of thousands of other Falun Gong practitioners.

One of the plaintiffs He Lizhi was illegally detained for three years and six months by the CCP for practising Falun Gong prior to his arrival in Canada in 2004.

This case is one of 54 civil and criminal legal proceedings in 33 countries, against Jiang and other officials. Falun Gong practitioners have won several default judgments around the world.