After three years of unlawful prevention of signage and freedom of expression
outside the Chinese Embassy in Canberra – Falun Gong practitioners have confirmed
legal proceedings were filed yesterday in the Supreme Court of the Australian
Capital Territory against Foreign Minister Alexander Downer seeking an injunction
to restrain the Foreign Minister from relying upon certificates he issued pursuant
to the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunity Regulations 1992 that prevent the display
of banners and the use of amplified music outside the Chinese Embassy in Canberra.
Falun Gong practitioners have reasonable grounds to legally reinstate the
freedom to display the banners and to use amplified sound in exercising their
right to freedom of expression in Australia and that the Foreign Minister had
a ministerial duty to uphold that right. The proceedings seek exemplary damages
against Mr Downer and the return of Falun Gong banners that have been seized.
Persons
providing evidence in support of the application include an eminent Chinese University
Law Professor YUAN Hong Bing who is currently seeking protection in Australia
and a former 610 Officer, HAO Feng Jun, who is also seeking protection in Australia.
(The 610 Office is a secret apparatus of the Chinese State Security Bureau.)
It
is intended that proceedings before the Supreme Court will include further evidence
from another defector of widespread torture and murder in China and that the Australian
Foreign Minster’s certificates were issued not to protect the dignity of the Chinese
Embassy and its officers but to ingratiate the Executive Government of Australia
with the Government of the People’s Republic of China. Information on the structure
of the Chinese Intelligence operation in Australia are to be made available.
Lawyer
for the Falun Gong, Mr Bernard Collaery:
"The Australian Government’s
response to the persecution of the Falun Gong has been disgraceful. The desire
to advance bilateral relations with China including economic relations has resulted
in a supine position on human rights and is a national disgrace. The arguments
to be advanced by the applicants before the ACT Supreme Court will focus on these
issues. The unchallenged activities of the Chinese State Security Bureau in Australia
reflects the Government’s distorted priorities that put appeasement ahead of integrity."
Press
ConferenceTime: 12 noon, Friday 10 June 2005
Place: Supreme Court
of the Australian Capital Territory
6 Knowles Place Canberra City
Background
of plantiffs, Mrs DAI Zhi Zhen (Jane) and Mrs ZHANG Cuiying
Mrs Dai is
an Australian citizen with an Australian-born child. Her husband was murdered
in China by agents of the notorious 610 Office, a secret apparatus of the State
Security Bureau. Mrs Dai is dependent upon Australian welfare support as the result
of the murder of her husband by agents of the 610 office. Mrs Zhang, also an Australian
citizen, was arrested and tortured by agents of the 610 Office when she traveled
to China.
