(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Dafa Information Center reported on July 15th in Toronto that Twelve Canadian residents urgently called on society to rescue their family members who have been illegally arrested and detained because they practice Falun Gong. These twelve people are Canadian citizens and permanent residents. They are also Falun Gong practitioners. Their family members, totaling fifteen people, are all Falun Gong practitioners. These family members have been illegally arrested and some have been sentenced to labor camps for as long as three years. At present, the condition of some practitioners is still unknown and their families are unable to visit them. Among the fifteen practitioners, two have been tortured to death by the Chinese government and one is missing. These practitioners include a grandmother who is almost seventy years old, an engineer who had won the nation's Golden Award, as well as accomplished scientists in the field of rocket and propulsion science. Their families have provided general information about them in hopes that Canada can help to rescue them. He Lizhi, one of the practitioners who is being persecuted, had already become a Canadian permanent resident before he was arrested. He is presently detained at a labor camp in Tianjin City, China.

Canadian practitioners will hold press conferences on July 20th. On July 16th, Toronto practitioners held a press conference and submitted letters of appeal to the Canadian government. Meanwhile, they announced the formation of the "Urgent Action Committee of Canadians Rescuing Persecuted Family and Friends in China."