A Sydney Chinese newspaper is being sued for defamation by the Falun Dafa meditation group over the paper's publication of criticism by the Chinese Government consulate in Sydney.
Five members of Falun Dafa are also suing the Chinese daily over an article in December last year in which a consulate spokesman described the group as an evil cult responsible for the deaths of more than 1,700 people.
The newspaper has refused to comment on the legal action.
Falun Dafa spokesman John Della says the article caused real hurt to Falun Dafa members who have been persecuted in China.
"They come to Australia, expecting and hoping for a free democracy where they can live in peace and without that sort of terror...and they read such an article and...it brings up all those memories and experiences," he said.