(Clearwisdom.net, September 1, 2003)
21 August 2003
Ghent resident Matthias Slaats is the first litigant to make use of the new genocide law. He accuses former leader Jiang Zemin of genocide, torture and crimes against humanity.
"He is responsible for the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, in China and also outside China. During this persecution, hundreds of people have been murdered and tortured to death in captivity, thousands of people have been detained and there are literally millions of people who are in danger every day in China"
Matthias Slaats himself is a practitioner of Falun Gong. This means that, through meditation and exercises, he strives for principles such as Truth, Compassion and Forbearance. Falun Gong grew in China to no less then one hundred million practitioners, until Jiang Zemin prohibited the movement in 1999.
"Falun Gong was practiced on all levels of society, consequently also within the top of the Communist Party and even in the Army. Perhaps Jiang Zemin himself felt threatened one way or another."
The Chinese leader then tried to destroy Falun Gong. Supporters were locked up, and were forced into labor camps, where they were tortured or murdered. Matthias Slaats now wants Jiang Zemin to be punished.
"We hope that an in-depth investigation can take place and that, through this, it will become clear how Jiang Zemin is responsible for the deaths of thousands of people and that he will be sentenced. Not only in Belgium, but also by the international community."
Slaats finds that the Belgian genocide law now can finally prove its worth. He sincerely believes that Belgium will not be put in a bad light this time.
"There already have been verdicts in the United States and Canada against people responsible for this persecution in China or for these slanderous campaigns in the west. Currently, there is also a law case running in the United States against Jiang Zemin and in France there is a law case running against one of the accomplices of Jiang Zemin."
The lawyers acting for the Falun Gong movement expect a verdict of the court later this year.