ABC News Online: Beijing Mayor served lawsuit over Falun Gong torture claims

Saturday, February 9, 2002

Beijing Mayor Liu Qi, has been slapped with a lawsuit by six Falun Gong members, including an Australian, claiming they were physically abused during a protest in the Chinese capital.

Sherry Zhang, a spokesperson for the Falun Dafa Information Centre in northern California, says the papers, handed down by a US district court, were served to Mr. Liu shortly before he boarded a flight to Salt Lake City.

Mr Liu is also president of the Beijing Organising Committee of the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG).

Ms Zhang says the civil lawsuit was filed against Mr. Liu by six Falun Gong members from Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Sweden and the United States.

Ms Zhang says the papers charged Mr. Liu with "torture, cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment, arbitrary detention, crimes against humanity and interference with freedom of religion and belief."

It is not clear what the legal implications of the lawsuit are.

Mr. Liu could not be immediately contacted to verify the claim.

However, the Torture Victims Protection Act and the Alien Tort Claims Act gives US courts jurisdiction over acts of torture committed outside the country.

However, a suit can only proceed if defendants are served with legal papers while in the United States.

The Chinese Government banned the Falun Gong in July 1999 [...]

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