A Human Rights Violation Case That Shocks the World | WPN World People News

Legal and tax scholars and experts pose before signs reading “No Illegal Tax Bills, No Tax Negotiation, No Bonus for Tax Collection, No Enforcement Bonus, and No Reward for Tax Informants!” to demand taxpayer rights during a rally in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei, Taiwan, Dec. 19, 2021.

"Where are the promised human rights?” The 2021 Taiwanese referendum just ended, but human rights issues are still warmly discussed. On December 19, 2021, the Tax and Legal Reform League, Taiwan Association for Financial Criminal Law Study, and a dozen other civil society organizations co-hosted “Wake Up to Rescue Human Rights” in front of Taiwan’s Presidential Office Building. Protesters pointed out that the legacy of the authoritarian era is still alive in Taiwan and a few rogue bureaucrats persecuted people with illegal means. Scholars as well as legal and tax experts revealed astonishing inside stories of the legal and tax system. Many tax victims spoke out about their suffering, pleading with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen to rescue human rights.

Over 150,000 people from 14 countries around the globe attended the event in person or online. Dozens of experts, scholars, and legislators, along with the youth came forward to comment on unfair tax cases, and tax victims spoke up about their personal ordeals. They called on the Taiwan government to fix the chaotic tax and judicial system. The quarter-century-long Tai Ji Men case has been compared with the infamous Taiwan 228 massacre, and it is referred to as “Judicial and Tax Persecution 228,” “a magical mirror reflecting Taiwan's problematic judicial and tax system,” and a landmark case of serious human rights violations. A movie titled “Raging Fire” was premiered during the event on December 19, 2021, which marked the 25th anniversary of the Tai Ji Men 1219 incident. The movie is composed of six scenes: “Nightmare,” “Origin of the Fabricated Case,” “Roaring,” “Parallel Movement,” “Isolated Island,” and “Fire of Rage.” “It documents Tai Ji Men shifu (master) and dizi’s (disciple) 25-year uphill battle for democracy, justice, freedom, and human rights, with every second of it carrying with it countless tears, blood, and grievances,” said Tai Ji Men dizi.

The Tai Ji Men 1219 incident is like a nightmare to Tai Ji Men’s shifu and dizi. On December 19, 1996, Prosecutor Hou Kuan-jen commanded an army of investigators and armed policemen to raid and search Tai Ji Men academies, with journalists in tow. While the case was still under investigation, over 400 untrue news stories were reported in the media following the start of the prosecutor’s smear campaign against Tai Ji Men, attempting to create the impression that Tai Ji Men was guilty before the real court trial began. Prosecutor Hou even collaborated with tax officers to fabricate a tax case. The prosecutor also coerced Tai Ji Men dizi and committed forgery to create false testimony against Dr. Hong, the leader of Tai Ji Men. He attempted to destroy Tai Ji Men, and his illegal acts have harmed over 10,000 families.

“Tai Ji Men has always been innocent,” shouted Tai Ji Men dizi. While being persecuted, Tai Ji Men’s shifu and dizi have never stopped their efforts to clear their names. After 10 years and 3 months of rigorous judicial trials, on July 13, 2007, the criminal division of Taiwan’s Supreme Court acquitted the defendants, declaring them innocent of tax evasion, violation of the Tax Collection Act, and all other charges. National compensation for the wrongful detention was given to Dr. Hong and his co-defendants. Tai Ji Men’s shifu and dizi thought that this nightmare would conclude as the criminal case had ended. However, the National Taxation Bureau didn’t revoke the illegal tax bills. The Hsinchu Branch of the Administrative Enforcement Agency under the Ministry of Justice even illegally auctioned Tai Ji Men’s sacred land intended for a self-cultivation center in 2020.

"In Taiwan, we came to the streets to protest injustices against us, whereas in the United Nations, we receive countless compliments," said Tai Ji Men dizi. While suffering such severe state violence and human rights abuses, Tai Ji Men’s shifu and dizi turned their own pain into actions of love for the world. Whether it’s street protests or online forums, they insist on not compromising, hoping that there will be no more state violence. They have continued to bring the Tai Ji Men culture to the world, allowing global citizens to see the beauty of Chinese culture. They have traveled to 101 countries to spread love, peace, and conscience.

“The flames are not just fueled by the pain of the tax victims, but also the uncompromised promise to seek justice,” said Tai Ji Men dizi, stressing, “Before the unjust tax cases are rectified, we won’t let the flames die! No matter how hard it is, we won’t give up.” On the path towards truth and justice, Tai Ji Men receives support from international scholars and experts. Prof. Massimo Introvigne, the editor-in-chief of the internationally renowned human rights magazine Bitter Winter and founder and managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), spoke in an international press conference held in Washington, D.C. on December 7 this year, “The Tai Ji Men case is a case where human rights of the Tai Ji Men community were violated through corruption.” He also clarified the nature of this case: “If it is a pure tax case, that's something to be solved by Taiwanese lawyers, why bother to come to Washington, D.C. and discuss this case? Well, the answer is precisely, because it is not primarily and certainly it is not exclusively a tax case. It’s a case of human rights.” “It is an established and recognized principle that it is the right and duty of the international community to protect human rights,” he emphasized. Prof. Introvigne also stated in an international forum in Washington, D.C. on December 6, 2021, “Only a solution of the Tai Ji Men case may stop this slow erosion and poisoning of the integrity of Taiwan’s soul, a kind of process that, as history shows, normally leads to the ruin of a nation.”

The 25-year-long Tai Ji Men case revealed the legacy of the authoritarian past and the Taiwanese government’s corruption and violations of human rights. The event organizers pointed out, “The world is watching the Tai Ji Men case with great interest.” In over a year, more than 100 academic articles on the Tai Ji Men case have been published on the website of Bitter Winter and other international human rights websites. The Tai Ji Men case has been brought to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council three times. Recently, 25 international human rights experts co-signed a letter to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to express their concerns, stating that this case was maliciously fabricated and resulted from corruption and the violations of freedom of religion or belief, and that this case is obviously detrimental to Taiwan’s hard-earned reputation.

Corruption and authoritarianism have led to the great crisis of Taiwan. The nation is at an important turning point in history. The organizers of “Wake Up to Rescue Human Rights” urged President Tsai Ing-wen to rectify the Tai Ji Men case as soon as possible, so that Taiwan can get rid of its authoritarian past and recover its international image of a true democracy. The organizers also called on all people to stand up for justice, love Taiwan with actions, say no to authoritarianism, oppose false tax bills, and demand justice! “No slavery, yes justice!” “No abuse of power, yes human rights!” “No corruption, yes Taiwan can!” chanted the protesters as the organizers encouraged everyone to prevent Taiwan from democratic backsliding by fighting for the abolition of illegal tax bills, illegal tax negotiation, bonuses for tax collection, tax enforcement bonuses, and rewards for malicious reporting of tax evasion. The organizers urged the Taiwanese people to stand up and make Taiwan a true beacon of democracy, to follow the rule of law, and to respect freedom and human rights.

Source: Action Alliance to Redress1219