Singapore Falun Gong Practitioners Request for Overseas Human Rights Lawyers to Defend Rights

(Clearwisdom.net) On September 25, the case against two Singapore Falun Gong practitioners for protesting against the persecution in front of the Chinese Embassy was in process at the Court of Appeals and then the Subordinate Court. Because the practitioners' lawyer Ravi could not attend the court due to illness, the practitioners requested an extension. The two courts agreed to extend the trial to mid-October, and the exact date will be decided in a meeting on October 2.

As lawyer Ravi can no longer represent the practitioners, they requested permission to hire overseas human rights lawyers. The prosecutor objected to this request and the judge of the Subordinate Court didn't respond.

The first hearing of this case was held from August 28 to 31. Because a witness of the plaintiffs refused to acknowledge that the Chinese Communist Party has been persecuting Falun Gong and the prosecutor and the Judge of the Subordinate Court refused to accept the "2004 United Nations Investigation Report" as evidence, the defendants raised a motion to the High Court. In a hearing held on August 31, the High Court rejected the defendants' request. The defendants then appealed to the Court of Appeals, which scheduled a hearing in the morning of September 25. Meanwhile, the trial at the Subordinate Court was scheduled to resume in the afternoon of September 25.  

During the court debate from September 25 to 29, the defendants raised the issue that lawyer Ravi is no longer able to defend them due to his health condition and they requested the Court to allow them to hire lawyers from abroad.

Ms. Ng Chye Huey said: "It is very hard to find a human rights lawyer other than Ravi in Singapore. However, as the case is very complicated, we need a lawyer. As many overseas lawyers know the persecution well and some have been involved in investigation, we request for permission to hire them to protect our rights."

The Judge of the Subordinate Court, Siva Shanmugam, didn't give a response. The prosecutor raised objections twice on September 26. His excuse was that he believed Ms. Huey to be capable of defending herself, as reportedly she testified at a UN meeting.

Attorney Chu Wan-chi, director of Internation Advocates for Justice, attended the court trial on September 26. Regarding the prosecutor's argument, she said that she was surprised. "The Singapore prosecutor told the court, why can't the practitioner defend herself when she could give a speech at the UN on how the Singapore government persecutes Falun Gong. I think that anyone in the law profession knows that defending oneself is completely different from testifying to a personal experience. The former requires more legal knowledge and skills to protect one's rights. I'm surprised by this line of reasoning." She said.

Ms. Chu added: "The international community is observing whether the Singapore government's suppressive policy against Falun Gong has been implemented into its judicial system, in other words, whether the whole judicial system is being used to persecute Falun Gong."  

Singapore Falun Gong Association spokeswoman Dr. Wang Yuyi said: "Whether or not the defendant is capable of defending herself has nothing to do with whether or not she has the right to hire a lawyer to defend her. Even if her testimony at the UN means that she is capable of defending herself [which is not the case], she should not be deprived of her right to hire a lawyer. The prosecutor used this excuse to obstruct Ms. Huey's desire to hire a lawyer, and this fact indicates that he has no respect for the defendant's rights."  

Dr. Wang added: "For example, among Singapore's senior political figures, many who are not lawyers can give speeches to the public. However, these officials still need to hire lawyers in lawsuits. Ms. Huey must receive more protection as a defendant. The prosecutor is applying a different standard to her."  

The second session of the United Nations Human Rights Council was held in Geneva on September 18, 2006. During the discussion session after the report of Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Ms. Ng Chye Huey did make a speech. In her speech, she talked about the persecution she has been subjected to in Singapore. She said that the Singapore government discriminates against and persecutes Falun Gong practitioners under the coercion of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). After the meeting, many representatives contacted Singapore practitioners to learn more information.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2006/9/30/139032.html

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