(Minghui.org) Ms. Xiong Guizhen, a Falun Gong practitioner from Nanjing in her 50s, was sentenced to three years in prison on December 7, 2016. She was arrested in August 2015, two months after she filed a lawsuit against former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin. Her mother and four siblings were arrested with her.
On the day of Ms. Xiong's trial on May 31, 2016, her two sisters (also Falun Gong practitioners) were stopped by the police as they walked to the courthouse. They were taken to a nearby police station and had their blood and fingerprints taken from them, despite the sisters' objections. Blood sampling is often linked with forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners.
Prior to her latest arrest, Ms. Xiong was detained in Nanjing Detention Center for a month in February 2011 and later sent to Jiudong Forced Labor Camp for one year in July 2011.
Family Sues Jiang Zemin
Like many people in China, Ms. Xiong started practicing Falun Gong because of its health benefits. In 1996, she introduced the practice to her parents, who had suffered various ailments. One by one, her four sisters also picked up the practice.
After the persecution started in 1999, Ms. Xiong's father dared not to practice anymore, and he passed away in 2000.
Ms. Xiong's mother, Ms. Wang Suzhen, was sent to a forced labor camp for one year in 2000. She was again arrested in 2001 for saying “Falun Dafa is good.” Even though she was released the next day, she was forced to report to the neighborhood committee regularly.
Ms. Xiong's elder sister, Ms. Xiong Chunyin, was also sent to Jiudong Forced Labor Camp at the same time as her sister. In addition, Ms. Xiong Chunyin was detained twice by police and sent to brainwashing centers twice.
Ms. Xiong's other sisters and their families were also harassed by the authorities.
In June 2015, Ms. Wang Suzhen and her five daughters—Xiong Chunyin, Xiong Guiyun, Xiong Cuiping, Xiong Guizhen, and Xiong Jianjun—filed a criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese president, holding him responsible for their suffering and personal losses because of the persecution of Falun Gong. Their lawsuit was mailed to the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate, which is required to process all criminal complaints filed by citizens.
Background
In 1999, Jiang Zemin, as head of the Chinese Communist Party, overrode other Politburo standing committee members and launched the violent suppression of Falun Gong.
The persecution has led to the deaths of many Falun Gong practitioners in the past 16 years. More have been tortured for their belief and even killed for their organs. Jiang Zemin is directly responsible for the inception and continuation of the brutal persecution.
Under his personal direction, the Chinese Communist Party established an extralegal security organ, the “610 Office,” on June 10, 1999. The organization overrides police forces and the judicial system in carrying out Jiang's directive regarding Falun Gong: to ruin their reputations, cut off their financial resources, and destroy them physically.
Chinese law allows for citizens to be plaintiffs in criminal cases, and many practitioners are now exercising that right to file criminal complaints against the former dictator.
Related Articles:Nanjing: Practitioners Harassed at Trial, Blood Samples and Other Biometric Data Forcibly Taken from Area Practitioners
Nanjing, Jiangsu Province: Six Women Tried for Their Faith, Supporters Arrested
Ten Women Who Practice Falun Dafa Face Illegal Trial in Nanjing
Related Article in Chinese:南京八旬老太携五位女儿控告迫害元凶江泽民
