(Minghui.org) Mr. David Shoebridge, member of the New South Wales (NSW) Legislative Council, was interviewed on the recent flood of lawsuits against former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) head Jiang Zemin by 182,000 Falun Gong practitioners in China and overseas. Mr. Shoebridge said, “It’s important for the Chinese justice system to allow this complaint to come to trial, and to actually be heard and fairly judged...Not only do I commend the bravery of those individuals who put their names forward, but also the lawyers and advocates who are helping them and representing them.” He wished them the best in their venture.
Mr. David Shoebridge, Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales
As a member of the Legislative Council, lawyer, and former member of the Standing Committee on Law and Justice of NSW, Mr. Shoebridge supports the lawsuits against Jiang. He said, “I think it’s important for the Chinese justice system to allow this complaint to come to trial and to actually be heard and fairly judged. I think it is going to be a test for the Chinese legal system and it’s maturity to allow this complaint to go to trial.”
Upon hearing about the Falun Gong practitioners in China who are filing these lawsuits using their real names, Mr. Shoebridge said, “Not only do I commend the bravery of those individuals who put their names forward, but also the lawyers and advocates who are helping them and representing them. Both the lawyers and the individuals face the threat of sanctions, and quite nasty reprisals from the government. And you have to commend their courage, and wish them the best in their venture.”
Regarding overseas lawyers helping Falun Gong practitioners with their lawsuits, Mr. Shoebridge said, “I think we should be collaborating with human rights lawyers in China as well as in other regimes. We need to collaborate, give them resources, and give them support. Because at end of the day, we live on the one planet, and human rights in China should have every bit the same respect as human rights in Australia.”
