Supreme Court to Review Cisco’s Appeal in Falun Gong Lawsuit
The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from Cisco, a major technology company, regarding a lawsuit accusing it of providing technology used to oppress Falun Gong practitioners in China. This decision comes as the justices prepare to examine a previous appellate court ruling that allowed the lawsuit to proceed in U.S. courts.
The appeal follows the involvement of the Trump administration, which supported Cisco’s request for the case to be reviewed by the Supreme Court. The lawsuit centers on allegations that Cisco’s technology aided the Chinese government’s surveillance and persecution efforts against the Falun Gong spiritual group.
An investigation conducted by the Associated Press last year revealed that American technology companies have significantly contributed to the construction of China’s surveillance infrastructure. This assistance has spanned multiple U.S. administrations, despite warnings from activists about the potential misuse of these tools to suppress dissent, persecute religious communities, and target minority groups.
Evidence from 2008 indicates that Cisco viewed China’s “Golden Shield” internet censorship project as a business opportunity. Leaked documents from that year showed a Cisco presentation that stated its products were capable of identifying over 90% of Falun Gong-related content on the internet. Additionally, Cisco reportedly developed a national information system to monitor Falun Gong practitioners, portraying their content as a “threat.”
In 2011, members of the Falun Gong filed a lawsuit against Cisco, claiming the company customized its technology for the Chinese government, fully aware it would be used to locate, detain, and torture Falun Gong adherents.
The Supreme Court will address whether Cisco can be held accountable under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS) and the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA). Cisco argues that these laws, the ATS dating back to the 18th century and the TVPA enacted in 1991, do not apply to its case.
Historically, both the Supreme Court and U.S. presidential administrations have shown reluctance to entertain lawsuits in American courts for actions undertaken by foreign governments, particularly those occurring outside U.S. borders. To counter this, the Falun Gong plaintiffs argue that a significant portion of Cisco’s activities related to China were conducted within the United States.
A ruling on the case is anticipated by early summer.
