Hong Kong: Practitioners File Lawsuit Against Jiang Zemin, Li Lanqing and Luo Gan

On June 28th, 2007, two Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong, Chu O Ming and Fu Hsueying filed a lawsuit to the High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region against Jiang Zemin, the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Li Lanqing, the former vice Prime Minister of China and Luo Gan, member of the Politburo, for torture, causing injury, illegal imprisonment and abuse of political power. The plaintiffs provided hospital documents as evidence of their being tortured in China during the persecution of Falun Gong, which was initiated by the three defendants.

Lawsuit files

Display boards describe the crimes committed by the defendants

To support the lawsuit, Falun Gong practitioners held a parade from the High Court to Chater Garden.

The High Court accepted the file and approved the application of writ. The court also accepted the application of issuing "leave" to Mainland China, and will make a decision whether to approve the application in seven to ten days. The first hearing of the case will be held on November 8th. This case is the 18th lawsuit against Jiang Zemin in 17 countries.

Chu O Ming had filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin in Beijing

Mr. Chu O Ming, one of the plaintiffs, had filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan and Zeng Qinghong in Beijing in 2000. He was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison because of it. In prison, he was tortured. He wrote six appeal letters and asked the chief of the prison to submit them, but was ignored.

Chu O Ming expressed that he realised Falun Gong practitioners don't have any lawful protection in China, so he files the lawsuit in Hong Kong, as a Hong Kong permanent resident.

Chu O Ming feels that the Hong Kong government will not arrest or jail him because of the lawsuit. He believes that Falun Gong practitioners have lawful protection in Hong Kong. He said it takes time to make the judgment whether the Hong Kong government has the courage to face the Communist power in China.

Fu Hsueying says that she is not afraid of the tyrant power.

Ms. Fu Hsueying was jailed in Shenzhen Detention Centre and Woman Prison in Guangdong for two years, where she was badly tortured. The injury on her legs and skin is not healed yet even now. She was mentally tortured too.

Ms. Fu said: "The purpose of the lawsuit is to bring justice to thousands of Falun Gong practitioners in China who have been tortured. I hope the court in Hong Kong has the courage. A woman, like me, is not afraid of the CCP, so why would the Hong Kong government be afraid of it?"

Paul Harris, lawyer for the plaintiff, expressed his admiration of the plaintiffs refusal to sign any documents renouncing their beliefs while in prison. Paul Harris is a respected lawyer in Hong Kong. He has handled several lawsuits filed by Falun Gong practitioners.

The plaintiffs had applied for a writ. The application was approved, which means if any defendant comes to Hong Kong, the plaintiffs can deliver the subpoena to them. The plaintiffs had also applied for a leave, and the application is in process.

The 18th lawsuit against Jiang Zemin in the world

The three defendants in this case have been sued in 17 countries since 2002. The lawsuit in Hong Kong is the 18th in the world and 6th in Asia-Pacific area. The other five are in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Theresa Chu, a Taiwanese lawyer and the assistant of the plaintiffs, said: "Although Hong Kong is part of China, it has the laws to protect Falun Gong practitioners to have normal activities. Since the courts in China didn't offer any lawful aid to the plaintiffs, they, as Hong Kong permanent residents, filed the lawsuit in Hong Kong. We will see if the court in Hong Kong can bring justice to them or not, which will be an index of the human right situation in Hong Kong"

Ms. Chu, who is a Falun Gong practitioner, has been deported back to Taiwan twice by the Hong Kong government this month. She said: "Through this case, we will see whether Hong Kong people have democratic and laws or not."

"Paul Harris is brave."

Ms. Chu explained that many lawyers have helped Falun Gong practitioners in the world, but in Hong Kong, lawyers have more pressure from the CCP. She praised Paul Harris for his courage and expressed her respect.

Kan Hung-Cheung, the spokesman of Falun Gong in Hong Kong, expressed: "Hong Kong has the historic responsibility to sue the murderers of Falun Gong practitioners. Hong Kong has not been occupied by the CCP completely, so it has the chance to play an important role in history. We hope the court in Hong Kong will have courage to make the right decision. Throughout history, none of the tyrants who has persecuted righteous people has succeeded. We hope that the court in Hong Kong will take this lawsuit seriously and stand with the justice."

At 2pm, June 28th, practitioners held a press conference in front of the High Court, and held a parade from the court to Chater Garden.