(Clearwisdom.net) On Wednesday, February 23, 2005, at 3:00 p.m., Falun Gong practitioners in New York held a press conference at the Columbia University campus. Falun Gong practitioners' lawyer Ms. Lana S. Han announced that a lawsuit has been officially filed in New York against Guo Chuanjie, Deputy Head of the "Leadership Group Dealing with Falun Gong Issues" at the Chinese Academy of Science and Deputy Party Secretary of the Chinese Academy of Science. The charges are crimes of torture and genocide.

Campus of Columbia University

Another name of the "Leadership Group Dealing with Falun Gong Issues" is the 610 Office, named after it was especially created on June 10, 1999 by Jiang's regime to persecute Falun Gong. It is an agency with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems. 610 Offices can be found everywhere in China. From cities to villages, streets and work units, the primary offices are directly controlled by Beijing's 610 Office, and they implement the genocidal policies, such as, "Defame their reputation, bankrupt them financially, destroy them physically," and "Death of Falun Gong practitioners from beating is nothing and shall be counted as suicide. The body shall be directly cremated without investigating the person's identity." The notorious 610 Office is also called "China's Gestapo" due to its character and the crimes it has committed.

A huge banner with white words on a blue background, in both Chinese and English, was prominently displayed at the campus, and was very eye-catching. The banner read, "Guo Chuanjie is sued with Charges of torture, genocide for persecuting Falun Gong in the China Science Academy." A bronze statue that symbolizes impartiality stood behind the banner and added solemnity to the press conference.

It happened that a group of young Asian men passed by, and some of them were very interested. They inquired and took photos. Practitioners introduced them to the basic situation. Some teachers and students from the campus also stopped and wanted to learn the details in-depth, and discussed it amongst themselves.

It was reported that Guo Chuanjie and a group of visitors had planned social activities on the campus of Columbia University during the afternoon of February 23.

Attorney Ms. Han introduced the lawsuit, stating that it was filed with the New York Federal Court on February 22. At around 9:30 a.m. on February 23, a subpoena and complaint were delivered to Deputy Party Secretary of the Chinese Academy of Science, Guo Chuanjie, who was visiting the US at Manhattan's Battery Park in New York.

Guo Chuanjie

In July 1999, Guo became the deputy head of the "Leadership Group Dealing With Falun Gong Issues" at the Chinese Academy of Science, and he has been the major person responsible for persecuting Falun Gong at the Academy. In 2003 Guo was appointed Party Secretary of the University of Science and Technology of China, and has since repeatedly emphasized the persecution of Falun Gong and "reforming" Falun Gong practitioners at the Ninth Congress of the University of Science and Technology of China. The complaint was delivered in a meaningful location, just opposite of the Statue of Liberty, which symbolizes the US spirit of freedom and democracy.

In July 1999, the Party group at the Chinese Academy of Science closely followed Jiang's regime, and established a "Leadership Group Dealing with Falun Gong Issues," taking charge of all things related to the persecution of Falun Gong. On July 26, at a one thousand-people meeting of "Exposing and Criticizing Falun Gong" held and organized at the Jingxi Hotel, Guo Chuanjie personally took part in the "reforming" of Falun Gong practitioners. For Falun Gong practitioners who refused to renounce their beliefs, they conducted forced brainwashing by means of several persons targeting one practitioner, or one person targeting one practitioner. According to an investigation by the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, "reformation" is considered the main justification for persecuting Falun Gong practitioners to death, or disabling them, and the major reason Falun Gong practitioners are tortured both physically and mentally.

Guo Chuanjie held meetings and gave speeches many times at the Chinese Academy of Science. He summarized and advanced the "struggle against Falun Gong" and "reforming" (brainwashing) of Falun Gong practitioners. He also wrote articles for Guangming Daily advocating "advanced culture" in the "Three Representatives," where he claimed that Falun Gong "should be cleansed and cleared away by advanced culture that centers on dialectical materialism." His article was especially recommended by the Information Briefing of the Information Center of the Ministry of Culture.

Since 2000, the verified persecution cases indicate that at least 27 teachers and staffers at the Chinese Academy of Science have suffered various means of persecution for persevering in their Falun Gong practice. The persecutions included being forcibly expelled from jobs, deprived of basic salary, deprived of basic housing allotments, being forced out of housing, deprived of retirement pension, being cut off from income sources, and even being sent to forced labor camps and sentenced to prisons. Graduate students are not registered, or are forced to leave school or suspended if they do not give up Falun Gong. Abducting practitioners and taking them to brainwashing classes to receive forced reformation is common, as is forcibly detaining them at their own workplaces to receive closed brainwashing, and even abducting them into detention centers. All registered Falun Gong practitioners are forbidden to go abroad.

University of Science and Technology of China is a branch of the Chinese Academy of Science. Learning from the investigation, the authorities of the university have threatened students many times with suspension or being expelled from school to prevent them from appealing for Falun Gong, and in an attempt to force them to renounce their beliefs. Several teachers and students at the university have been abducted and taken to brainwashing classes, or have been fired from their jobs and sent to forced labor camps or prison.

Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Zhang stated that the lawsuit against Guo Chuanjie shows Falun Gong practitioners' determination and confidence in investigating all those who are responsible for persecuting Falun Gong, and seeking justice through legal channels. It also shows that we believe that legal impartiality will ultimately be possible in China.