World News
Even after Les Presses Chinoises was sued in 2002 and ordered to stop its defamation, it continued to carry full-length articles from mainland China that demonized Falun Gong. Then, two questions still exist; what kind of role has Les Presses Chinoises played in defaming Falun Gong, and what harm has it brought to the plaintiffs?
According to Agence France Presse’s report from Washington on November 11, 2003, a few days ago, a high-powered US congressional trio advised the Dallas, Texas based cosmetics giant Mary Kay Inc. to stand up to China’s demands that sales associates swear not to join the banned Falun Gong spiritual group.
Two Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioners were illegally detained by the Mainland regime in the past 30 days. On November 19, 2003, together with relatives of these two practitioners, Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioners and global organizations for the rescue of Falun Gong practitioners initiated a series of rescue efforts.
Seven Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners, including Lin Hsiao-Kai and an under-aged victim, filed a lawsuit in a Taiwan High Court accusing former Chinese President Jiang Zemin, former Chinese Vice Premier Li Lanqing and member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo with genocide. The lawsuit is based on a Taiwanese law for the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide stipulated in 1953.
This is the first criminal case by Taiwanese people against Chinese officials and the first case in which members of the Chinese community have brought charges against Jiang Zemin. It follows lawsuits filed against Jiang in the US, Belgium and Spain. Lawsuits against Jiang Zemin are also planned in Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Germany and Ireland.
This MEP reminded practitioners that action must be taken, justice will prevail and as a result the persecution of Falun Gong will come to an end.
The lawsuit is filed by a total of 39 victims of this persecution, the German Falun Dafa Association and dedicated citizens who support an end to the terror campaign against Falun Gong in China by taking part in this lawsuit. The complaint charges them with genocide, crimes against humanity and torture, as well as dangerous bodily harm to Falun Gong practitioners in China.
Legal experts say the trial is poised to test the boundaries between freedom of expression and freedom of the press, and the right to be protected from defamation and hate.
The movie “False Fire,” which analyzes the 2001 Tiananmen Square “self-immolation” incident, won a Certificate of Honorable Mention at the 51st Columbus International Movie Festival. New Tang Dynasty TV, a non-profit privately owned Chinese TV station, produced the movie. The award ceremony was held in the Kansas Center, Columbus Arts College, Columbus, Ohio.
Taiwan Falun Gong practitioners will file a lawsuit in a Taiwan High Court on November 17, 2003 accusing Jiang Zemin of committing the crime of genocide.
A U.S. Consulate official in Shanghai has informed Ms. Yeong-Ching Foo that Chinese authorities have been forcing her fiancé Dr. Charles Lee to undergo brainwashing sessions on a daily basis. The sessions are carried out to force Dr. Lee to renounce Falun Gong.
