(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Zhang Cuiying, a Falun Gong practitioner and artist from Australia, filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese leader who started the persecution of Falun Gong in China, and Luo Gan, former Head of the 610 Office, on September 15, 2004. This case finally started to progress recently. The Australia Department of Justice sent Ms. Zhang an official letter confirming that her legal complaint had been delivered to Yan Nan, a staff member at the Chinese Embassy in Canberra. Penelope Richards, senior legal consultant of the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that the Department of Foreign Affairs has finished the delivery process and informed the New South Wales Supreme Court. Mr. Adam Slattery, Ms. Zhang's lawyer, said if they didn't get a response from the accused, they would seek a trial by default.

Plaintiff Ms. Zhang Cuiying and her lawyer Mr. Adam Slattery

Since the case was filed three years ago, it has been delayed for various reasons. The recent breakthrough has caught the attention of the outside world because of the subtle change of the Australia Department of Foreign Affair's attitude toward the lawsuit.

Mr. Slattery said they will seek to have a trial by default if the accused do not respond to the complaint. Generally a country doesn't sue the head of another country because of the issue of diplomatic immunity. However, Jiang Zemin is no longer head of state, hence immunity may not apply to his case. Also, it is still questionable whether diplomatic immunity applies to crimes such as genocide. Mr. Slattery said that most people would think it outrageous if someone were to say that Hitler couldn't be sued for genocide because he enjoyed diplomatic immunity. Mr. Slattery believes that Ms. Zhang's case involves multiple issues, but the bottom line is that an Australian citizen was illegally arrested and tortured in China for a peaceful appeal.

Chen Yonglin, a former Chinese diplomat who defected from the Chinese Consulate in Sydney, thinks that the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs currently faces great pressure, especially from Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. Downer lost a lawsuit brought against him by Falun Gong practitioners and was found guilty of depriving practitioners of their right to peacefully protest in front of the Chinese Consulate. Since then, the Australian government has been more cautious with the lawsuit against Jiang. Chen went on to suggest that the government knows it must follow legal procedures strictly, and that it can't try to put off the case to please Beijing, as it had tried to do earlier.

Chen also thinks the Department of Foreign Affairs' current approach shows that the government has taken a big step forward in balancing human rights and economic benefits. When dealing with a country that tramples upon human rights, Australia is holding firm to its belief in democratic freedoms and an independent judiciary, which conforms to Australia's national long-term interests.

Wu Fan, a commentator and Chief Editor of China Affairs online magazine, said Minister Downer is very pro China and he might have been under pressure from Beijing. Downer signed a document that restricted Falun Gong practitioners' right to protest in front of Chinese Consulates in Australia, and renewed it month after month after month. Practitioners sued Downer and Downer lost the case. Wu believes that the attitude in Zhang's case shows Australia's China policy is changing. He feels that there are several things that affect Australia's attitude toward Falun Gong, including Falun Gong's increasing influence around the world. People sympathize with Falun Gong practitioners suffering brutal persecution. Also, the environment in China is changing.

Hu Ping, political commentator and chief editor of Beijing Spring, said that Australia's attitude toward the lawsuit against Jiang Zemin is changing partly due to the plaintiff's persistent efforts. The forward motion of the case in Australia helps similar cases in other countries to progress. This case has gained a fair bit of media attention and shocks the CCP leaders in Beijing. It may warn and stop individuals who physically participate in torturing practitioners.

In 2000, practitioner Ms. Zhang Cuiying went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong and was imprisoned and tortured in China for eight months. The Australian government and Falun Gong practitioners worked together and rescued her back to Australia in November 2000. On September 15, 2004, Ms. Zhang filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin, former leader of the CCP, in the New South Wales Supreme Court for genocide and torture. When Ms. Zhang was imprisoned in Beijing, Luo Gan interrogated her in person. Because Luo is the main character who pushes the persecution of Falun Gong, Luo was listed as another accused in the lawsuit on March 5, 2007.

According to Theresa Chu, chief executive of the Washington DC Human Rights Law Foundation Asia Branch, there are at least 50 lawsuits filed against CCP officials by Falun Gong practitioners from 2002 to 2007. There are at least 30 countries and over 70 lawyers helping practitioners with the lawsuits. Most of these lawsuits, including civil and criminal cases, are against Jiang Zemin (15 countries).