A new research report reveals that the Chinese regime’s persecution of Falun Gong has been a “top priority” for authorities since 2017 amid a renewed focus on maintaining political power.
According to a Chinese lawyer, this has made it more difficult for legal professionals to defend the victims compared to the early years when the regime first launched its persecution campaign against the spiritual practice.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline involving meditative exercises and moral teachings based on three core principles: truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. The practice gained popularity in China during the 1990s, with 70 million to 100 million adherents by the end of the decade, according to official estimates at the time.
‘Intensified Persecution’
Citing over 20 sources, “the violent campaign to eradicate Falun Gong is viewed within the party as a central component of the regime’s efforts to control the population, maintain political power, and retain ideological supremacy,” the press release reads.The study notes that public acknowledgments by top security and judicial officials targeting Falun Gong, as recently as January 2023, stand out as a “departure from years of silence.” This shift is particularly notable given the ongoing persecution across the country.
“Such official rhetoric elevating Falun Gong as a target for repressive security operations has correlated to intensified persecution observed by the Falun Dafa Information Center since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, including large-scale arbitrary detention, torture, and deaths from abuse in custody,” the release reads.
Rights Lawyers Face More Challenges
Ming Tian (pseudonym), a human rights lawyer in mainland China, shared his firsthand experience with the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times on Dec. 12.Unlike the early stages of the nationwide persecution campaign, when lawyers faced various challenges but could still assist in the legal process, “very few lawyers can now get involved,” said Mr. Ming.
He explained that in the past, lawyers dealt with limitations, such as restricted meetings with clients and judges refusing to consider defense statements. However, at present, authorities make it difficult for lawyers to take on cases involving Falun Gong adherents.
“When law firms refuse to accept a case involving Falun Gong, lawyers can’t do anything about it,” he said.
According to Mr. Ming, the CCP employs covert strategies. First, it discreetly orders judicial authorities to issue unofficial notices to law firms, hindering lawyers from receiving case assignments and effectively handling legal proceedings. Second, even if lawyers complete the required procedures, judges ignore them by “neglecting to inform lawyers of court hearings and withholding crucial documents,” he said.
He pointed out that when efforts to obstruct lawyers fail, local authorities will refuse to acknowledge the status of a case. “Consequently, the number of lawyers who can actually take on Falun Gong cases is quite limited,” said Mr. Ming.
Public Plays a Role
“In my observation, the suppression of Falun Gong in China has been steadily intensifying over the years, with continually evolving methods,” said former mainland lawyer Lai Jianping.It is the CCP’s “atheistic indoctrination and fabricated propaganda” within the “oppressive domestic environment” that caused the public to stay away from the Falun Gong issue. “This reluctance from the populace adds to the challenges faced by Falun Gong practitioners,” Mr. Lai told The Epoch Times.
He pointed out that the international community, especially the West, isn’t doing enough to hold the CCP accountable for the persecution despite evidence of forced organ harvesting among Falun Gong adherents.
“The international community has not fulfilled its responsibilities in this regard. To some extent, this issue [forced organ harvesting] is still being covered up, and that is very alarming,” Mr. Lai stated.
‘CCP Will Soon Fall’
Li Yuanhua, a Chinese historian residing in Australia, said that when Falun Gong adherents and rights activists raise awareness of the brutality of the persecution campaign, it frightens the CCP because it also exposes the atrocities of the ruling party.Moreover, the CCP’s fear is “primarily driven by the publication of the ‘Nine Commentaries,’” added Mr. Li.
Mr. Li believes the movement could destabilize the regime.
“The reality is that China’s stock market continues to decline. The CCP is not only faced with an economic problem but also other serious issues at home and abroad, such as political infighting and international diplomacy. The CCP will soon fall from power.”
