Vancouver Province: Lawyer urges federal gov. to try Chinese leaders for repression of falun gong

November 12, 2004

VANCOUVER -- The Canadian government is being urged to prosecute Chinese leaders over the repression of people who practice falun gong.

Lawyer David Matas says Attorney General Irwin Cotler could mount the prosecution under Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act.

Matas made the call in Vancouver on behalf of his client, Kunlun Zhang, a professor at McGill University in Montreal.

Matas says Zhang was tortured in China over his beliefs.

The lawyer says because Zhang was a Canadian citizen at the time of his detention and torture, Canada has jurisdiction over the case.

The Chinese government has outlawed falun gong, which is a spiritual movement that uses meditation and exercises to help achieve a more healthy body and better state of mind.

Source http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/news/story.html?id=78e5aff2-d350-4da9-a0e8-c325691d3916