(Clearwisdom.net) In Russia, the information that people got about Falun Gong from television was confined to fabricated news shows provided by the Chinese Embassy in Russia, and the misleading comments the TV stations derived based on those shows. In view of this, on August 10, 2001, Russian Falun Dafa practitioners in St. Petersburg held a news conference with the theme of "Immolation or Deception?"

Prior to the news conference, we sent out invitations to news reporters, human rights activists, and congressmen. However, only one newspaper reporter and one congressman showed up. Practitioners still carefully introduced Falun Gong to them and, at the same time, exposed the Chinese government's cruel persecution of Falun Gong, as well as the Chinese diplomat's interference to Russia's internal affairs concerning the Falun Gong issue. Practitioners also played a truth-clarifying videotape that exposed the hoax known as the immolation incident.

When the news conference was about to come to an end, two TV reporters from Channel 36 appeared. One was in charge of interviewing and the other was a photographer. We didn't send an invitation to them but they expressed regrets about their late arrival. The conference was therefore prolonged for two hours. They videotaped the practitioners' exercising, watched the videotape about the immolation incident, and reported on the truth-clarifying activities.

That same day, the TV station broadcast a news program in which the report about the persecution of Falun Gong and Falun Gong practitioners in China was shown several times. The following is an excerpt from the report:

"In the Tiananmen immolation event, five people set themselves on fire. However, Falun Gong practitioners are convinced that the event was a hoax put on by Chinese authorities who aimed at demonizing Falun Gong. Falun Gong practitioners in St. Petersburg declined any involvement of Falun Gong in the event."

In the report a Falun Gong practitioner said, "It is clearly written in Falun Dafa's books that any form of killing, including suicide, will incur a great amount of Karma."

Practitioners also said, "The Chinese Embassy in Moscow and the Chinese Consulate in St. Petersburg utilized Russia's media, including newspapers, magazines, and TV stations, in order to spread lies and rumors that slander Falun Gong."

The TV audience in Russia have finally heard the truth from Falun Gong practitioners.