Australia: Citizens Support Lawsuit Against Former Chinese Leader in Sydney

At 11:00 a.m. on December 17th, 2009, the Falun Gong practitioners' lawsuit against former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin was tried again in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. The Supreme Court accepted practitioners' appeal, objecting to the Australian government's intervention in the lawsuit against Jiang. The court also decided to try the legitimacy of the appeal and the appeal itself at the same time, to expedite the legal process.

Plaintiff Ms. Zhang Cuiying was imprisoned in China for eight months for practicing Falun Gong and appealing for an end to the persecution. She was tortured in prison. With the help of the Australian government and Falun Gong practitioners in Australia, Ms. Zhang was rescued and she returned to Australia in November 2000. On September 15th, 2004, Ms. Zhang filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin, who masterminded the persecution, and the 610 Office, the organization charged with carrying out the persecution, in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. When Ms. Zhang was imprisoned in Beijing, head of the 610 Office Luo Gan interrogated her in person. On March 5th, 2005, when the case was tried in court, Ms. Zhang added Luo as another defendant.

Ms. Zhang said that the National Court of Spain's indictment of five high ranking Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials who have actively participated in the persecution - Jiang, Luo, Bo Xilai, Jia Qinglin and Wu Guanzheng - has historical significance. The indictment means that those who have committed crimes of genocide and torture are finally facing justice in the court of law. Spain has become the vanguard in safeguarding human rights and universal justice.

To push the lawsuit forward, practitioners have clarified the facts about the persecution at the court every day since April 2008. Many passersby have read the informational fliers, and many people have signed the petition to support Falun Gong practitioners' efforts to stop the persecution. A number of people have told practitioners that Jiang should not be granted political immunity.

A staff member of the court, after reading the report about the CCP's organ removal from living Falun Gong practitioners for lucrative organ transplant surgeries, said that he understood why the practitioners persisted in exposing the persecution in front of the court, and gave the practitioners his support.

A young man brought the practitioners fresh warm rolls one day to show his support. He refused to take money from the practitioners, who wanted to pay him for the treats.

A woman in her 80s told the practitioners that she pray for the practitioners. She wished practitioners success in stopping the persecution.

A priest said that people should stand together and call on the Australian government to take a stand against the Chinese government's dictatorship. The Chinese government has done everything to cover up the persecution. He asked the Australian government to speak out for justice, not to interfere with judicial independence, and not to let the Chinese government use economic interest to sabotage democratic countries' principles of protecting human rights.

Another Australian said that insisting on truth and justice is a very important principle of a free society. "Our court should be independent and our government needs to help the Chinese people who are currently suffering persecution in China."