– Ding Guangen, Propaganda Minister of China, Politburo Member, and Deputy Chief of the the 610 Office, was served with a law suit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for his role in overseeing and executing severe human rights abuses against Falun Gong practitioners in China and overseas.
“As the Propaganda Minister of China, Ding is directly responsible for the deadly propaganda, fabrication and lies to grossly distort Falun Gong’s teachings and slander its founder and students with the purpose of bending public opinion to support the government’s persecution of Falun Gong,” said Terri Marsh, an attorney assisting with the case. Ms. Marsh continued: “As the Deputy Chief of the “6-10” Office — an office established by Jiang Zemin specifically to carry out the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners — Ding has directly aided in the murder, torture and hate of Falun Gong practitioners all across China and propaganda campaigns overseas. His instrumental role in the persecution of people who practice Falun Gong makes this lawsuit significant.”
Charges against the defendant include “Torture; Genocide, Right to Life, Right to Liberty and Security of Person and to be free of Arbitrary Detention and Arrest, Freedom of Thought, Conscience, and Religious Belief.”
The World Organization Against Torture, an organization that represents victims of grave human rights abuse, filed the civil complaint with the U.S. District Court in Honolulu Hawaii, Wednesday afternoon. The complaint was served the following afternoon in Mr. Ding’s Honolulu Hotel room, room 370 of the Royal Hawaiian Sheridan.
Mr. Ding was returning to China following a visit to Canada. According to local sources, Mr. Ding changed his return flight schedule at the last moment to avoid any legal action against him during his stay in the United States.
“This case is extremely important because it reaches one of the few people who are directly responsible for the campaign of persecution against Falun Gong practitioners,” commented Mr. Sklar, the Executive Director of WOAT and also the lead attorney for the lawsuit. “It is typically difficult for Alien Tort cases to reach the highest level of government officials. Ding is a member of the Politburo, the small group of people that effectively run the country. Therefore, like Slobodan Milosevic, in this case we have one of the people directly in charge of organizing and carrying out the whole reign of terror that has been unfolding throughout China for the past three years.”
The lawsuit filed against Mr. Ding is a class action lawsuit, which, Mr. Sklar indicates, is also very significant. “The fact that this is a class action suit means it aims to protect the interests of a larger class of people in general. Mainly, Falun Gong practitioners throughout China and the world who have been terrorized and victimized by the persecution campaign Ding has implemented.”
Morton Sklar, Executive Director of WOAT, and counsel for the plaintiffs, is available by phone to answer questions: 202-296-5702. Terri Marsh, another attorney assisting with this case, may be reached at 202-236-4977.
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Press Release: China’s Propaganda Minister, Politburo Member, Deputy Chief of “6-10” Office Served with U.S. Class-Action Lawsuit for Persecution of Falun Gong
2002-05-18
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 5/17/2002
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