The question still resounds with no answer sixteen years after the Supreme Court of the Republic of China ruled that all accusations against Tai Ji Men were inconsistent.
by Marco Respinti*
*A message delivered introducing Tai Ji Men dizi’s testimonies at the webinar “16th Anniversary of the Supreme Court Decision Recognizing the Tai Ji Men as Innocent,” co-organized by CESNUR and Human Rights Without Frontiers on July 13, 2023, 16th anniversary of the Supreme Court 2007 legal victory of Tai Ji Men.
Today, July 13, 2023, marks the 16th anniversary of the decision by the Supreme Court of the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, which recognized the innocence of Tai Ji Men. In fact, on July 13, 2007, the criminal division of the highest Taiwanese court of law definitively acquitted Tai Ji Men defendants, clearing them from all accusations, which proved to be blatantly false, thus declaring them nothing less that innocent of all charges.
Let me repeat it. Tai Ji Men has been declared innocent. Tai Ji Men “is” innocent. It is not my opinion, your opinion, the friends of Tai Ji Men’s opinion. It is the conclusion to which the highest court in the country where Tai Ji Men was accused came after a due process of law. All accusations against Tai Ji Men were abandoned. Charges were acknowledged as inconsistent. Somebody had made a gross and serious mistake by accusing Tai Ji Men. Charges against Tai Ji Men may have been fabricated, if you pardon my use of the verb “may” as a typical understatement, an attitude of the English language to use downsizing expressions only to strengthen a case.
Declaring Tai Ji Men innocent, the Supreme Court of Taiwan also declared that Tai Ji Men did not commit any tax evasion. Dr. Hong Tao-Tze, the Grand Master (Zhang-men-ren) of Tai Ji Men, and other co-defendants in the trial, had been detained due to accusations that were proved wrong, i.e. detained with no reason and detained while innocent. They were so innocent that they even received national compensation.
One would believe that this was the logical end of the Tai Ji Men case. No, unfortunately it wasn’t. Some National Taxation Bureau bureaucrats simply ignored the ruling of the highest court in Taiwan and continued as if Tai Ji Men had not been declared innocent. Some corrupt bureaucrats treated innocent people as if they were guilty. This was a spectacular injustice, amounting to open persecution. In fact, how do we call suffering inflicted to people who have done nothing wrong?
Persecution of the innocent is a horrendous crime that has no justification and no excuse. It is a pure and simple display of evil.
Thus, ignoring the law, those corrupt bureaucrats pursued an unjustified tax evasion action which bears consequences even today, sixteen years after, with the whole case lasting for more than a quarter of a century.
Again, this is not my opinion, your opinion, the friends of Tai Ji Men’s opinion. It is a piece of truth that is recorded in history and accessible to anyone. In front of a piece of truth of such importance, which—again—is accessible to everyone, the normal, reasonable person wonders, asking “Why?” Because all justifications, such as corruption and allowing the bureaucrats involved to pocket some money, seem to be just incredible.
One would think that injustice grows in obscure corners, in gray corridors, in dim-light and semi-darkness, to fool victims and confuse adversaries. Rightly said. But in the case of Tai Ji Men injustice has been done, and its consequences still progress, in full daylight.
We are here again today just for that question. We are participating in another public event to encourage all to ask “Why?” We demand a full answer that could give back to Tai Ji Men the deep meaning of their incredible sorrow.
Source: Bitter Winter