FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 22, 2002 [ http://www.faluninfo.net/ ]
CHICAGO, October 22, 2002 6:21 p.m. (Falun Dafa Information Center) -- Jiang Zemin, Secretary General of China's Communist Party, has been sued under United States Human Rights Statutes (Alien Tort Claim Act & Torture Victims Protection Act) for the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. A legal complaint alleging torture and genocide has been filed in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois and was served Tuesday to security officers guarding Jiang at the Chicago Ritz Carlton Hotel.
Terri E. Marsh, attorney for the plaintiffs, and Frederick Rhine, partner of Chicago-based Gessler, Hughes, Socol, Piers, Resnick, & Dym Ltd., will speak at a press briefing Wednesday morning, 10:00 a.m., at the Palmer House Hotel, Cresthil Room on the third floor.
Attorney Marsh is in Chicago and can be reached for comment at (202) 369-4977.
For further information, please contact Stephen Gregory, (773) 495-8169, Dana Cheng, (312) 993-8138, or Adam Leining, (415) 279-4407.
The Palmer House Hilton Hotel is located at 17 East Monroe Street in Chicago.
Background
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It is a practice that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but it is distinct and separate from other practices such as the religions of Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50 countries.
With government estimates of as many as 100 million practicing Falun Gong, China's President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999, fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiang's regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.
The Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of 505 deaths since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600, while expert sources estimate that figure to be much higher. Hundreds of thousands have been detained, with more than 100,000 being sentenced to forced labor camps, typically without trial.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER- Contacts: Gail Rachlin 917-501-4441, Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, Levi Browde 914-720-0963, or Feng Yuan 917-941-1097. Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com, Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/
Category: Karma & Virtue
