Canadian MP, Irwin Cotler, Condemns Chinese Imprisonment of Canadian Academic

(Media Conference, Dec. 7, Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada)

Ottawa Liberal M.P. and McGill Law Professor Irwin Cotler, who agreed to act pro bono as International Legal Counsel to imprisoned Professor KunLun Zhang a naturalized Canadian and former colleague at McGill University today characterized his imprisonment as the "criminalization of innocence." He added: "What we are witnessing in this case is the criminalization of fundamental freedoms the freedoms of conscience and belief of assembly and association of expression and opinion."

Cotler continued: "the arrest, detention, torture, and sentencing of Professor Zhang for nothing other than being a member of a peaceful, spiritual movement known as the Falun Gong is a case study of the persistent and pervasive assault on human rights in China today in general and a case study of the attempt to suppress the fundamental freedoms of the Falun Gong in particular."

Cotler, an international human rights lawyer who has defended political prisoners around the world, said that Professor Zhang was a classic prisoner of conscience whose "criminalization of innocence" included the following major human rights violations:

• Violation of the right to freedom of conscience and belief, as in the prohibition and suppression of Professor Zhang's right to believe in, profess, and practice the Falun Gong values of "truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance";
• Violation of the right to freedom of assembly and association, as in the prohibition of any participation by Professor Zhang in any exercise or meditation gathering of the Falun Gong;
• Violation of the right to freedom of expression and information, as in the banning and burning of Falun Gong books and materials;
• Violation of the protection against arbitrary arrest and detention, as in the arrest and detention of Professor Zhang for exercising rights guaranteed under Chinese law and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of which China is a signatory;
• Violation of the right to protection against torture and other cruel and degrading punishment or treatment, as in the electroshock torture endured by Professor Zhang during his detention;
• Violation of the right to a fair trial, as in the conviction and sentence of Professor Zhang in the absence of any hearing, respect for the presumption of innocence, or representation by counsel;
• Violation of the right to communicate with, or be visited by, Consular officials of the Canadian Government;
• Violation of the basic right to life, liberty, and security of the person, as in the denial to Professor Zhang of basic rights to integrity of the person, human dignity, and due process; and,
• Violation of the right to be left alone which has been characterized as the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized people.

Cotler, in his capacity as International Legal Counsel, called upon the Chinese authorities to:

1. Repeal the illegal ban on the Falun Gong.
2. Rescind any laws or regulations specifically criminalizing the Falun Gong as an "illegal association," and prohibiting thereby the exercise of the fundamental freedoms of their members.
3. Permit Canadian Consular officials access to Professor Zhang and his wife ShuMei Zhang who is under house arrest.
4. Release Professor KunLun Zhang from forced labour camp his wife, ShuMei Zhang, from house arrest and permit them both to leave the country and return to Canada to be reunited with their daughters, LingDi Zhang, and JenWei Zhang.
5. Cease and desist from any policy or practice of torture or other degrading punishment or treatment of prisoners in detention.
6. Release all Falun Gong members now detained in prison, forced labour camps, or psychiatric detention.

For more information contact: Irwin Cotler, M.P.

Montreal [phone]

Cellular [phone]

In Ottawa: Tanis Gilbert, EA

[phone]