(Clearwisdom.net) At noon on May 18, Houston Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference in front of the Chinese Consulate in Houston to expose the Jiang regime's brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and announce the official kickoff of "Van Tour to Support the Lawsuit Against Jiang Zemin." Practitioners also staged a symbolic trial of Jiang Zemin and two Falun Gong practitioners demonstrated some torture methods used in Chinese prisons.

The press conference

Torture method demonstration

The Van Tour would drive around Texas, visiting Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Waco, Temple, Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington. The Van Tour would then head for Chicago on May 21. The Van Tour plans to demonstrate the torture methods used by Jiang's group to persecute Falun Gong practitioners and raise public awareness of the lawsuit against Jiang Zemin.

The Torture Method Demonstration

Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Tang demonstrated forced-feeding, a torture in which the practitioners would be tied to a long bench and force-fed with liquids such as concentrated salt water through one's mouth or nose. Ms. Tang went back to China in November, 1999. She was beaten up by a gang of policemen for being a Falun Gong practitioner, detained and sent to the Tianhe Labor Camp. When she went on a hunger strike to demand her unconditional release, she was force-fed with a concentrated salt solution by police. She almost suffocated.

Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Wang demonstrated another torture technique, which involves tying both of one's hands to scaffolding. In less than one hour, his wrists were bruised. He commented: "I only demonstrated this torture technique for less than one hour and it was very painful. I know that the suffering of Falun Gong practitioners who have been illegally detained in China is much more than this. Today, we only demonstrated a few torture techniques. During the persecution, Jiang's followers have actually employed more than 100 different torture techniques. Chinese labor camps and prisons have used all kinds of extremely brutal torture techniques. We can't imagine the actual suffering and pressure Falun Gong practitioners in China are enduring. "

Mr. Wang also narrated his mother's plight. For refusing to give up her Falun Gong practice, Mr. Wang's mother was abducted to Nanjing Mental hospital, where she was subjected to brutal torture. Mr. Wang and his wife both practice Falun Gong, as well. The Chinese Consulate in Houston refused to renew their passports because of their involvement in Falun Gong. As a result, they can't maintain their legal status in the U.S. and thus have lost their jobs and source of income.

According to an investigation report by World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG), the following torture techniques have been used: shocking with electric batons; forcing the practitioners to stand for a long time; using the "Tiger Bench" [Practitioners are forced to sit on a small iron bench that is approximately 20 cm (6 inches) tall with their knees tied together. With their hands tied behind their backs or sometimes placed on their knees, they are forced to sit straight up and look straight ahead. They are not allowed to turn their heads, close their eyes, talk to anyone or move at all. Several inmates are assigned to watch over the practitioners and force them to remain motionless while sitting on the bench. Usually some hard objects are inserted underneath the practitioners' lower legs or ankles to make it harder for them to tolerate this abuse (see illustration on http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2001/11/24/16156.html]; branding the practitioners' bodies with red-hot irons; pouring boiling water on the practitioner's back, then scrubbing the wounds with a toothbrush, followed by smearing salt into the wound; forcing the practitioners to kneel, handcuffing them, burning their bodies with fire, burning their muscles and private parts with cigarettes; releasing guard dogs, snakes and scorpions to bite the practitioners; forcing the practitioners to stand on a red-hot iron rod; exposing practitioners to toxins and poison gas, hanging them up by their handcuffs; force-feeding with hot pepper water and human waste; stuffing used women's sanitary napkins and filthy cleaning rags into the practitioners' mouths; raping the women; injecting them with nerve-damaging drugs; subjecting them to sleep deprivation for over 20 days at a time; electrically shocking the female practitioners' vagina, mouth and anus; tying four toothbrushes together with brushes facing outward and inserting them into female practitioners' vagina, and turning and rubbing the toothbrushes in the vagina; throwing the practitioners into water dungeons; "five horses split the body" (forcefully pulling the practitioner's body into five different directions; freezing punishment (shower the practitioner with cold water in the winter, strip them naked and force them to walk barefoot in the snow); in the summer they force the practitioners to stand under the scorching sun; whip them with various leather whips (including a whip made of steel wire and clubs covered in rubber); they insert bamboo slivers under practitioners' fingernails; force them to do long-term slave labor, and many other horrendous things.

Bring Chief Murderer Jiang Zemin to Justice

On July 20, 1999, using all state resources, the chief perpetrator of the persecution of Falun Gong, Jiang Zemin, launched a systematic, premeditated and brutal persecution against tens of millions of Falun Gong practitioners who strive to follow the principle of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" in cultivation. Jiang ordered a policy of genocide: Defame their reputation, bankrupt them financially and destroy them physically. By May 18, 2004, it has been confirmed that 964 Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted to death, while hundreds of thousands have been illegally arrested, detained, sent to labor camps, brainwashing sessions and even mental hospitals for all kinds of torture and abuses. Jiang Zemin is the chief perpetrator of the persecution and must be held accountable for his crimes.

Practitioners displayed "Bring Jiang Zemin to Justice," "Punish Murderer Jiang Zemin" and "Now Happening in China" banners at the site of the symbolic trial. The whole process of the trial was very solemn and filled with a sense of justice. Three practitioners acted as judge, prosecutor and attorney for the defendant. At the end of the trial, the judge ruled that there was solid evidence of genocide, torture and crimes against humanity committed by Jiang, and that he should be held accountable for these crimes. The judge also commended the noble character and courage Falun Gong practitioners demonstrated during this persecution.

Reportedly, several high-ranking Chinese officials who have followed Jiang's orders closely during the persecution of Falun Gong have been found guilty by overseas courts. For example, U.S. courts have ruled that Beijing Mayor Liu Qi, Lieutenant Governor of Liaoning Province Xia Deren and Hubei Public Security Bureau Director Zhao Zhifei were guilty of crimes of torture, and a Canadian court has ruled Toronto Deputy Consulate General Pan Xinchun guilty of libel.

Moreover, "Fa Wang Hui Hui", a Chinese persecution monitoring organization, submitted two documents to the UN last year. One report included names and detailed the crimes of more than 11,000 "610 office" officials. The second report presented a name list of about 20,000 practitioners and the persecution they have experienced.

In January, 2004, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) added 45 Chinese officials to a watch list, including China's former President Jiang Zemin, Li Lanqing, Luo Gan, Wang Maolin, Liu Jing, other well-known party leaders and forced labor camp personnel. If anyone on the list attempts to enter Canada, a prompt investigation could take place, potentially resulting in refusal of visas to Canada, cancellation of their Canadian citizenship, deportation, charges, and even punishment based on Canada's laws governing crimes against humanity and war crimes.

On March 9, 2004, Friends of Falun Gong and the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong submitted a list of the main leaders in the persecution of Falun Gong, including Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, Zhou Yongkang, Li Lanqing, Wang Maolin, and requested the US government to prohibit these people from entering the U.S. The U.S. Immigration and Neutralization Code Item 212(a)(2)(G) stipulates that foreign government officials involved in violating freedom of religion during the last two years are not allowed to enter the United States, and this statute extends to their family members and dependents.

Letting more Civilians Know Jiang's Crimes

In her speech, Ms. Zhang said: "Jiang Zemin, China's former President and former Party Secretary General of the CCPC, abuses his official power, tramples China's constitution, created the 610 Office and positioned it above the law for the specific purpose of persecuting Falun Gong. Jiang's stated policy for destroying Falun Gong -- "defame their reputation, bankrupt them financially, and destroy them physically" -- has brought about incredible mental, physical, and economic suffering to tens of millions of Falun Gong practitioners and their families, has caused tremendous damage to Chinese society and human civilization... As part of the global trial of Jiang Zemin, our purpose is to let more civilians know of Jiang's crimes against innocent people, understand this righteous global campaign to sue Jiang and help us end this persecution against innocent and kind-hearted people as soon as possible."

Many people who came to the Consulate stopped to watch the practitioners' event. Some expressed their support while some were pondering. A passerby watched the event for a rather long time, then bowed to practitioners with heartfelt respect. Another passerby told a practitioner that he had heard about the persecution before and he had talked about the persecution with his friends. He had also seen practitioners appealing at the Consulate many times. He promised that he would talk with his representative about this. Several Chinese who came to the Consulate for business initially refused to take Falun Gong truth-clarifying fliers. A practitioner then showed them a truth-clarifying booklet page by page. From the spread of Falun Gong, to the persecution since 1999 and then to the global trial of Jiang, the Chinese people listened to him quietly. At last, they took fliers and said: "Thank You." When looking at torture photos of practitioners, one person's eyes were blinking with tears.

Background:

In October, 2002, Falun Gong practitioners sued the chief perpetrator of the persecution Jiang Zemin in a Chicago Federal court for genocide, torture and crimes against humanity. Since then, Jiang and his key accomplices have been sued in succession in Belgium, Spain, Germany, Korea, and Taiwan. In January, 2004, Falun Gong practitioners appealed to the 7^th Circuit for the lawsuit against Jiang and a hearing will be held in Chicago on May 27.

To let more people know about Jiang's crimes against Falun Gong practitioners and also to further clarify the truth of Falun Gong to governments at all levels, media and all circles of society, some Falun Gong practitioners have initiated Van/bike tours from the east and west coasts respectively to support the hearing of the Chicago Lawsuit against Jiang. The Van tours will end in Chicago before the hearing is held.

Reportedly, a Van Tour which consists of 8 northern California Falun Gong practitioners has started from the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco on May 11. They will visit about 10 states and 20 cities before arriving in Chicago on May 21. A Bike Tour which consists of 6 teenagers left Washington DC for Chicago on May 13. The route of the bike tour is about 700 miles.