AN Australian resident subjected to torture and persecution in China is to have her case championed in the United Nations and the International Court of Justice by eminent human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson.
Mr. Robertson has taken on the case of Sydney resident Zhang Cui Ying following an appeal by her Australian legal team headed by lawyers Chris Nyst and his associate Jason Murakami, of the Gold Coast-based Nyst Lawyers.
A meeting on the Gold Coast last week between Ms. Zhang’s legal team and the UK-based Mr. Robertson, who is also the Chief Justice of the UN War Crimes Court, resolved to prosecute the case through a number of international channels.
The action will be against Jiang Zemin, the former president of China, for his role in human rights violations against Ms. Zhang.
Mr. Robertson and Mr. Nyst are finalizing a petition against Jiang Zemin and plan to personally lodge it with the Human Rights Commission within the United Nation in New York.
They are also planning a parallel action in the International Court of Justice citing a breach of an international convention of which China is a signatory.
Both actions relate to Jiang Zemin’s persecution of Ms Zhang for being an active practitioner of Falun Gong.
A range of civil actions against Jiang Zemin and his persecution of Falun Gong members are under way internationally, but Ms Zhang’s case is unique in that it is a criminal action launched by an individual against the former president.
Lawyer Chris Nyst says that confirmation of Mr Robertson’s involvement also strengthens Ms Zhang’s case and ensures it is likely to become a benchmark fight against Jiang Zemin and his role in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
“The Zhang case is a very poignant example of what has happened to many people in China ,” says Mr. Nyst.
“She has been mistreated and suffered a great injustice and it is the duty of lawyers to take up such cases.
“Securing someone of the stature of Geoffrey Robertson, one of the world’s eminent persons in the field of human and civil rights, to champion our case is a great coup.”
Mr Nyst says Ms Zhang’s case should ‘bring a voice’ to all Falun Gong practitioners around the world.
“We have devised a number of strategies we believe will get the world’s attention on the injustices suffered by Ms Zhang and other practitioners,” says Mr. Nyst.
“We plan to invoke the thematic procedures and take the issues to the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations.
“China is now at a stage where it would want to be seen to fall in line with the UN and we hope to bring a change of attitude within the country.
“Other matters are a bit more sensitive and we want to look at possible breaches of various international conventions and we believe we will have strong grounds to bring it before the International Court of Justice.”
Mr Nyst says Ms Zhang’s case is ‘very specific, strong and cogent’.
“It is an action with a strong chance of success,” he says.
Source: Friends of Falun Dafa Association of Australia, Inc.
Posting date: 17/Aug/2003
Original article date: 16/Aug/2003
Category: Australian News
