29/08/2003

An Australian woman who claims she was tortured in China for being a practitioner of the spiritual movement Falun Gong, will take her case to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

Zhang Cui Ying says she was tortured and persecuted for being a practitioner of the Falun Gong spiritual movement during a visit to China three years ago.

Her lawyer, Chris Nyst, is preparing a petition to be presented by human rights lawyer, Geoffrey Robertson.

Mr. Nyst says the petition will be one of the first cases to go before the UN.

"The plan is that Geoffrey and I will do some things in New York in the lead up to it. There's also a possibility that there may be a separate action in the international court of justice so that may also require us to make an appearance in Geneva," he said.

Mr Nyst says the petition relates to the actions of the Chinese government under former president, Jiang Zemin.

He expects the matter to be heard next year.

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/newstories/RANewsStories_934612.htm