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A persistent violation of human rights and religious freedom in Taiwan that began in 1996
Action Alliance to Redress 1219 is a partner of the International Summit on Religious Freedom 2021
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – The Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington DC hosts the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit from July 13-15, which will be attended by over 1,000 representatives from government agencies and civil society organizations Event in person, with over ten thousand people participating virtually, the largest and most important religious freedom event of the year. As a partner of the summit, the Action Alliance to Redress 1219 hosted a workshop entitled “A Question of Justice: The Tai Ji Men Case” and published two new books on the protection of human rights, justice and religious freedom documenting the Tai Ji Men case . a case of religious freedom and human rights violation in Taiwan, and over 1,200 lawyers attended the religious freedom event in person or online.
The 2021 IRF Summit will be co-hosted by former U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback and Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights, while the Honorary Chairmen of the Senate Senator Chris Coons and Senator James. are Lankford, while the Honorary Chairs of the House are Congressmen Henry Cuellar and Chris Smith.
As a partner of the summit, Action Alliance to Redress 1219 (ACT1219) is dedicated to resolving the Tai Ji Men case, said Jeff Kuo, a representative for ACT1219. Tai Ji Men is a spiritual group with different sections in Taiwan and the USA. She has conducted self-financed trips to 101 nations to promote love, peace, and conscience. A video presentation showed that Tai Ji Men has received high praise from President Tsai Ing-wen, three former presidents of Taiwan, and other leaders in Taiwan and around the world for its peace efforts.
However, such an ardent promoter of love and peace has been persecuted by some unscrupulous bureaucrats in Taiwan for the past 24 years, as shown in a film presented at the workshop entitled “A Question of Justice: The Tai Ji Men Tax Case in Taiwan” . It was directed by Prof. Massimo Introvigne, an Italian sociologist and founder and director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR).
Although celebrated as a beacon of democracy in Asia, Taiwan has a complicated past. After the end of martial law in Taiwan in 1987, there was a transition period during which the government targeted self-cultivation groups. One such case was in 1996 when Taiwan held the first direct presidential election and the government persecuted religious movements and self-cultivation organizations that did not support the president during the election. Although Tai Ji Men did not take a political stance, it was caught in the crossfire.
“The Association of World Citizens has worked closely with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief at the UN Human Rights Council since the late 1970s,” said Michael Selfridge, representative of the Association of World Citizens, adding, “Tai Ji Men Die Qigong Academy under the direction of Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, was our loyal ally. We are deeply saddened to see such an ally who has consistently assisted us in resolving global conflicts, human rights, peace and sustainable living, but has been persecuted and attacked by some renegade Taiwanese government officials who abused public power .
Pamela Chen stated on behalf of thousands of Tai Ji Men dizi (disciples) around the world that Tai Ji Men was wrongly charged with fraud and tax evasion at the time and found not guilty on July 13, 2007 by Taiwan’s Tai Ji Men Supreme Court was alleged of tax evasion, violation of the Tax Collection Act, or any other allegation, and Tai Ji Men owed no tax. A few renegade bureaucrats in Taiwan have been violating the religious freedom of Tai Ji Men members, ignoring the court ruling and imposing unjustified and high taxes on Tai Ji Men for over two decades, Chen said.
Last year, Tai Ji Men’s holy land was even confiscated for self-cultivation, leading to major street protests and considerable international attention, Chen lamented, adding that today is the 14th anniversary of Tai Ji Men’s acquittal, but the injustice on the other hand, organization remains.
Kenneth Jacobsen, law professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, USA and former advisor to US President Bill Clinton, studied the Tai Ji Men case for years and wrote an article on the case. In response to the unscrupulous bureaucrats’ wrongdoing, he said at the workshop, “I appeal to the President of Taiwan. I urge Taiwan’s leaders to correct the mistakes of the past, as I said, so that mistakes go on, perpetuating mistakes made in the past is as bad, if not worse, than those mistakes in general to commit. This is an atrocity. It’s a tragedy too. It is unfair. As someone who respects the rule of law and respects his life and career. That is insulting and it should come to an end now. “
In a video message, Prof. Massimo Introvigne regretted not being able to attend the event in person and highlighted why it matters: “The first reason is that they have enjoyed Ambassador Brownback’s extraordinary work for several years in the name of religious freedom continues. The second reason is that this side event is about Taiwan, a country whose culture I really admire and love. And the third is the side event, which is about Tai Ji Men and his pursuit of justice. “
“Why are there thousands of people on the street?” Prof. Introvigne asked and then he said, “Not because of a Taiwanese tax issue. Not for a private problem of Dr. Hong. But for a question of principle and justice and freedom of religion. And I believe that for this reason it is important in the context of this great event to reconstruct this case, which is a tax case, but mainly a case of religion or belief. “
Brenda Chen, one of tens of thousands of victims in the Tai Ji Men case, remembered the Tai Ji Men incident with tears in his eyes: “Although no one accused my father of a crime, he was arrested and detained for four months by the outside world Public prosecutor! Because of hunger, tiredness and threats, the prosecutor just wanted my father to testify against my Shifu (master), ”complained Branda.
At the time, her family was discriminated against due to the prosecution’s illegal investigation and defamation campaigns against Tai Ji Men; her sister even received a threatening letter at school. Her father and mother, chief financial officers of a famous technology company and editor at the Taiwan Ministry of Justice, were forced to retire early. Their careers and reputations were ruined, and they suffered tremendous emotional and financial losses. Brenda complained that her father died seven years ago with regret because he could not see the reparation in the Tai Ji Men case.
Ann Chen, a dual licensed attorney in Taiwan and California and co-author of Who Stole Their Youth, noted the importance of the book: “This book will be officially released today at the IRF Summit, which is very important! We have also prepared hundreds of books to be distributed to those attending the summit. We hope that today’s book presentation will help the world learn more about the Tai Ji Men case, pay more attention to the protection of human rights, the rule of law and the importance of religious freedom for all spiritual movements! “
In addition to Who Stole Their Youth, another book has been published, The Tai Ji Men Case in Taiwan: A Bitter Winter Anthology, which contains scientific studies by non-members of Tai Ji Men as well as articles on the Tai Ji Men case published in Bitter Winter, a daily magazine devoted to religious freedom. The two books emphasize the global relevance of the Tai Ji Men case because taxation is the most convenient and common instrument that the government of a democratic society can use to deny religious freedom to minority groups.
During the summit, representatives of the Action Alliance to Redress 1219 presented former U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback and Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights, published two books each: Who Stole Their Youth and The Tai Ji Men Case in Taiwan: A Bitter Winter Anthology and shared with them the 24-year-old Tai Ji Men case, a landmark case of human rights violations in Taiwan.
At the 47th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2021, CAP-LC, an NGO with special consultative status with ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council), presented a written report on the Tai Ji Men case and other tax incidents of abuse against spiritual movements ( CAP-LC 2021).
Gill Wang, another Tai Ji Men representative, said, “Resolving the Tai Ji Men case, a landmark case of human rights violations, is the best way to help the Taiwanese government. Only then can it, together with its most important ally, the United States, make a positive contribution to global stability and harmony. We sincerely hope that you can help Tai Ji Men correct this 24 year old case of injustice so that our holy land can be returned to us for self-cultivation and that human rights and religious freedom in Taiwan are protected! “
The event ended on a positive note when the song “Love” was presented, which expresses the organizer’s hope to bring together sincere people interested in human rights, love and peace, while calling on all governments to protect human rights implement in the hope that no other individuals or groups around the world will be denied their human rights or religious freedom and the world will be filled with love and peace!
About the Action Alliance for Reparation 1219: Action Alliance to Redress 1219 is a group of international and Taiwanese legal, religious and human rights experts working to restore the truth about the ongoing persecution of Tai Ji Men in Taiwan by a small group of bureaucrats, which has also persisted for 24 years like their abuse of power and violations of the law. In addition to rectifying the Tai Ji Men case and exposing the truth, she is also committed to defending religious freedom and calling on those in power not to violate human rights.
Media contact:
Lily Chen
Representative
admin@act1219.org
626-202-5268
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0f6c7d7c-46d6-4a37-b947-9444c89876fa
