FDI: Business Sued for Civil Rights Violations and Conspiracy During Chinese Leader's Houston Visit
NEWS -- Sep. 12, 2003 Falun Dafa Information Center, www.faluninfo.net
HOUSTON (FDI) -- Attorneys Richard Ellison and Michael Oeser
have filed a lawsuit in federal court in Houston on behalf of Falun Gong
practitioners from across the US. The suit alleges that Falun Gong practitioners
were discriminated against by a US business during the visit of Chinese
Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin in October 2002 (news),
and that a "Gestapo-like secret police agency" (in-depth)
of the Chinese Government had conspired with the US business.
The named defendant in the case is Homestead Studio Suites,
which operates a hotel next door to the hotel where Jiang stayed in Houston.
Several dozen plaintiffs who had confirmed reservations to stay in the Homestead
during Jiang's visit found their reservations cancelled with little or no
notice. Some had already paid for the rooms.
The plaintiffs are American citizens and residents who
practice Falun Gong. Falun Gong includes the practice of gentle exercises,
meditation, and belief in the universal principle of
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Although Falun Gong is not a religion, it
falls under that category for certain legal purposes.
Federal civil rights statutes are the basis for the four
claims made in the suit (full
text of complaint). The suit states that "their constitutional and
statutory rights to free assembly, free speech, and freedom of religion were
violated, at the behest of a foreign power, i.e., Office 6-10, an operative of
the Chinese Communist Party." The suit describes the Office 6-10 as "a
Gestapo-like secret police agency."
The suit further alleges that a conspiracy existed between
the defendant and agents of the Office 6-10 (in-depth),
which resulted in an agreement to cancel the hotel reservations.
The suit says, "The 6-10 Office's tentacles have reached
into the United States of America in its efforts to suppress Falun Gong. This
suppression includes interference with the freedoms of assembly, expression and
religion, on American soil. This suppression has included having thugs attack
peaceful practitioners. The 6-10 Office's actions in the United States has also
interfered with practitioners' rights to board commercial airplanes and stay in
hotels in several US cities."
In July 2002, Congress unanimously passed a resolution (H.
Con. Res. 188) calling on the US government to "investigate
allegations of illegal activities in the United States of the Government of the
People's Republic of China and its representatives and agents, including
allegations of unlawful harassment of United States citizens and residents who
practice Falun Gong."
"Many nations' governments and international human
rights organizations already acknowledge that the persecution campaign against
Falun Gong targets good people in China," said plaintiff spokesperson John
Nania. "This lawsuit illustrates how it also harms Americans on US soil and
American institutions, such as businesses. This is part of a large pattern of
abuse of rights."
For further information:
Attorney: Richard Ellison (713) 353-1703; Plaintiffs'
Spokesperson: John Nania (612) 237-3232
On Falun Gong: www.faluninfo.net
Lawsuits against Office 6-10: www.flgjustice.org
Related Articles on FalunInfo.Net:
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NEWS -- Sep. 12, 2003
Falun Dafa Information Center, www.faluninfo.net
Background
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about),
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 then-Communist leader, Jiang Zemin,
outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999 (report),
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.
To that end, Jiang established the "6-10
Office," a Gestapo-like agency spanning from the Central Government to
the local governments. The United States Congress has described the "6-10
Office" as an agency charged with "overseeing the persecution of Falun
Gong members through organized brainwashing, torture, and murder." (news)
The Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of 781
deaths (reports
/ sources)
since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. In October 2000,
however, Government officials inside China reported that the actual death toll
was well over 1,600. Expert sources now 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 -- Gail Rachlin 917-501-4441, Levi Browde 914-720-0963,
Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, or Feng Yuan 917-941-1097. Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com,
Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/
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