State Councilor and Former Chinese Education Minister Sued for Torture and Killing of Teachers and Students

JOHANNESBURG (FDI) – A State Councilor and former Minister of Education who utilized the Chinese education system to indoctrinate teachers and students against Falun Gong – often inciting violence – has been sued for torture and extra judicial killing in a Tanzanian court.

The civil suit was filed on July 19th as the former Minister of Education, Ms. Chen Zhili, was visiting several African nations. The suit was filed on behalf of Falun Gong practitioners.

Also on July 19th, Chen was summoned to appear before the Tanzanian court in reference to the case.

“We request that due process of the law will take its course, and that justice be done,” said the plaintiffs’ attorney. “This [suit] we hope will act as a difference against further persecution of peaceful and compassionate practitioners of Falun Gong.”

The suit is the latest in a string of lawsuits in over a dozen countries filed against senior Chinese officials known to have carried out former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin’s orders to “eradicate Falun Gong.” (news)

Between 1999 and 2003 as Minister of Education, Chen launched a Cultural Revolution-style campaign throughout China’s education system – including graduate schools, colleges, high schools, primary schools, and even kindergartens – ordering teaches and students to undergo “political shaping of thoughts” with respect to Falun Gong.

Amidst the campaign, teachers and students who practiced Falun Gong were often sent to brainwashing centers where they underwent psychological and physical torture.

Sixty-one are known to have died as a result.

“We would like to give credit to the government, the legal system, and the people of Tanzania for accepting this lawsuit and enabling justice to be done,” says John Nania, a Falun Gong practitioner from the U.S. who is assisting with the lawsuit. “It is a historic contribution to the international community and people in this part of the world can rightly be proud of this.”

The suit against Chen comes less than a month after a Falun Gong practitioner was shot in South Africa shortly after arriving in the country to assist locals in raising awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong, as well as the particular role of two Chinese officials, Vice President Zeng Qinghong and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai, who were visiting South Africa at the time. (news)

Zeng and Bo are known to be responsible for murder and torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

For further information: Mr. Jie Liu in South Africa +27 82 954 3505 or John Nania in the United States, +1-612-237-3232.