Director Roy Yen of TECO, San Francisco’s Culture Center accepts Tai Ji Men’s petition and hopes for a quick resolution of its unjust case.
On August 28th, Tai Ji Men members in the United States, hoping to get speedy rectification of the false case against Tai Ji Men, went to the Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (T.E.C.O) in Milpitas to meet with Director Roy Yen. On August 16th and 20th, the same group protested with signs outside the T.E.C.O. in San Francisco. Their intention was to convey to Mr. Yen the extent of the suffering caused by the persecution over the years. The members also presented a petition letter for Chenyuan Tung, Minister of the Overseas Community Affairs Council of Taiwan, who was scheduled to visit the United States from late August to early September, hoping to seek his help in redressing the case. Roy Yen commented that it is absurd that the Tai Ji Men case has lasted for that long. It is his duty to listen to the opinions of the Taiwanese Americans in his region, and he will bring the petition letter to Minister Tung in person to ensure that the Taiwan government receives the message. He expressed his hope that the case against Tai Ji Men will be resolved soon.
Tai Ji Men members pointed out that in 1996, the persecution of Tai Ji Men was initiated and continued on fabricated evidence. Prosecutor Hou, Kuan-jen abused his authority by falsely accusing Tai Ji Men’s leader and his co-defendants of fraud and tax evasion. In 2007, Taiwan Supreme Court found Tai Ji Men innocent of tax evasion and all other charges. Taiwan is a democratic country which follows the rule of law; hence, the National Taxation Bureau should have annulled the tax bills at that time. Surprisingly, a few rogue bureaucrats disregarded the Supreme Court’s decision and maintained the tax bills against Tai Ji Men. On August 21, 2020, Tai Ji Men’s land intended for spiritual retreat was auctioned and then confiscated by the Taiwanese government. This is a serious violation of Dr. Hong’s and his disciples’ right to freedom of belief, and freedom to choose their own path of self-cultivation. This case has shocked the world.
Jason Lu, a Tai Ji Men member in Northern California, explained to Roy Yen that the Tai Ji Men case was a fabricated case from the beginning. Prosecutor Hou, Kuan-jen accused the defendants of “raising gobbling,” and this accusation was included in the indictment. Professor Kenneth Jacobsen, a law professor and former adviser to President Clinton, said that this kind of indictment should not have been accepted by the court at all. Jason Lu emphasized, “We love Taiwan very much but silence won’t bring justice. Taiwan’s leaders are capable of implementing reforms. I hope that the Taiwanese government can hear our voices and know we are doing this out of our love for Taiwan.”
Source: Patch