Students at Trinity College, Dublin, Work for the Release of Zhao Ming, Their Former Classmate

On Tuesday the 10^th of April, at Trinity College Ireland, a letter writing campaign was held in different locations around the campus. The focus of the campaign was to draw the student's attention to the plight of their fellow student Zhao Ming who is suffering in a Chinese labor camp because he is a Falun Gong practioner.

Zhao Ming is a postgraduate student in the Computer Science Department at Trinity College, Dublin. Since May 2000, Ming has been detained, serving a sentence of "Re-education through hard labor". He was sentenced without trial, and is being held at the Tuan He Farm Labor Camp in Daxing County, Beijing because refused to denounce Falun Gong.

The campaign was organized by the 'Friends of Zhao Ming' (http://www.fozm.org). The group was initiated by Amnesty International Dublin Central Group, the Graduate Student Union at Trinity College, and some Falun Gong practitioners. They share the common goal of freeing their friend Zhao Ming and exposing China's persecution of Falun Gong. This campaign is the first public activity of the group since it was formed not long ago.

The day was a great success. We ran out of materials many times but at the last moment more would appear. All through the day we were extremely busy getting signatures, fellow students and friends noticed this and gave help for as long as they could between classes. At each table on the campus there were a few members of Friends of Zhao Ming handing out leaflets and answering people's questions. In total we got approximately 2000 letters signed, in a college of ten thousand students.

Friends of Zhao Ming hopes this event helps to get Zhao Ming released and that it highlights China's persecution of Falun Gong. The group will hold activities continuously until Zhao Ming is released and returns Ireland to complete his studies.

Friends of Zhao Ming

15 April 2001

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