Luo Guanglin, picture producer for a popular New Year's calendar,
filed a lawsuit yesterday in the Yiwu People's Court against Zhou
Zhenglong and Guan Ke for impinging upon his reputation. He
published two complaints in his blog, asking Zhou Zhenglong and
Guan Ke to make public apologies and asked for compensation of
30,000 yuan (about US$4127.68): 10,000 yuan from Zhou Zhenglong and
20,000 yuan from Guan Ke.
?
On November 16, 2007 one netizen discerned that the South China
tiger photographed by Zhou Zhenglong was similar to the New Year's
calendar picture hanging in his family.
?
Luo Guanglin, general manager of Vista Printing and Wrapping Co.
Ltd., the New Year calendar picture producer, testified that his
company had designed the New Year's calendar picture. Later he
produced much evidence, including photographic film and the first
version of the New Year's picture with a time stamp.
China.org.cn has received an exclusive scoop stating that the
tiger photo Luo Guanglin leased years ago for commercial use
derives from the Panorama Photo Stock Co. Ltd., one of biggest
photo agencies in China. The source inside Panorama Stock added
that the original photo came from the Zefa photo agency, a German
company Panama Stock had once represented in China. The Chinese
agency has found a photographic transparency, which can be used as
evidence if the case goes to court. The source said that they
believed it is the same tiger and that they will support Luo
Guanglin in this case.
When the calendar picture was first discovered, Guan Ke, an
official with the information office inside the Shaanxi Provincial
Forestry Department, told many members of the media, including the
South Metropolitan Daily, that the picture had been
produced based on Zhou Zhenglong's photos with PhotoShop (PS)
technology. Zhou Zhenglong also told the media that Luo Guanglin
was bullying him, a simple farmer. Since then netizens who believed
that South China tigers still existed have been constantly
analyzing the fine print in the New Year's picture and trying to
prove that the hullabaloo was just an advertising gimmick.
?
Luo Guanglin claimed that these comments greatly disturbed him. In
order to prove his innocence yesterday, he filed a petition at the
Yiwu People's Court. Previously he had filed suit in the court on
January 2, 2008. Initially the court refused his case due to
insufficient materials but yesterday legal authorities finally
accepted the materials Luo Guanglin proffered. The court hasn't yet
decided whether the case will be put on file for investigation. Luo
will receive the court's final decision within?seven
days.???
In his indictment, Luo Guanglin argued that Guan Ke made
irresponsible remarks without investigating the picture in
question. Zhou Zhenglong accused him of plagiarizing his photos and
spread the news that he had reported the case to the police. All
these acts have inflicted great harm to his personal integrity and
to his commercial reputation.
Many netizens attacked Luo's company website because they
believed that Luo was spinning a story using Zhou Zhenglong's
photos to gain the company more attention.
The judge suggested that Luo file his lawsuit in Shanxi
Province. Luo asserted, "I have to prove my innocence because
someone said at an online forum that all Yiwu people are swindlers.
So I have to continue this case on behalf of myself and all Yiwu
businessmen."
In an interview with the South Metropolitan Daily Guan
Ke said it was a good thing that Luo had filed a lawsuit. He has
been expecting such a case for a long time. He learned about the
case from several reporters via telephone. Currently he has not yet
read the indictment.
Guan Ke also claimed that he has pointed out in his blog many
times that it is up in the air whether Zhou Zhenglong duplicated
the New Year's calendar picture or if Luo Guanglin simply
fabricated it using PS technology. Police and legal authorities
will determine the decisive answer. Guan Ke thought it was a good
thing for Luo to file a lawsuit against Zhou Zhenglong or himself.
He also hopes to see an end to this widely controversial
issue.?
With regard to whether he would defend himself, he said that he
was not clear about legal proceedings so he was unable to answer
this question.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Ming'ai, January 8, 2008)
