Facts of the Case

Provided by Oyez

Falun Gong practitioners who say they were surveilled, detained, and tortured by Chinese authorities sued Cisco Systems, alleging the company built and supported China's "Golden Shield" surveillance system from its California headquarters and thereby aided the persecution. The district court dismissed their claims under the Alien Tort Statute and the Torture Victim Protection Act, but the Ninth Circuit reversed in part, holding that both statutes permit aiding-and-abetting liability.

Questions

  1. Does either the Alien Tort Statute or the Torture Victim Protection Act allow a judicially-implied private right of action for aiding and abetting?

Conclusions

  1. On June 23, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court held 6-3 in Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe I that federal courts may not create new causes of action for violations of international law under the Alien Tort Statute and that the Torture Victim Protection Act does not provide for aiding-and-abetting liability.