(Clearwisdom.net) At 11:00 A.M. on March 17, important political figures and renowned human rights advocates from Switzerland, Germany, and the United Kingdom held a joint press conference with Falun Gong practitioners at Palais des Nations to call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong.

At the press conference, a representative of the European Falun Dafa Association said in the opening remarks that in these especially difficult times when lies, hatred and intolerance are predominant, faced with the urgency of the situation, we Falun Gong practitioners, on this symbolic day of the opening of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, appeal to all people of the world to stop the Chinese authorities' persecution of Falun Gong.

Afterwards, Parliament Members from different European countries and human rights advocates delivered speeches.

A Swiss Parliament Member, the Chairman of the Swiss Green Party, Mr. Patrice Mugny and a representative of Germany's International Human Rights, Mr. Peter Mueller who is in charge of China affairs, expressed in their speeches their support for the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners.

The Chairman of the Asia Department of the French Green Party, Mr. Jean-Marc Brule, strongly condemned the corruption and dictatorship of the Jiang regime, saying that the Jiang regime has completely lost its senses. Jiang not only suppresses Tibetans and democracy advocates, but he now persecutes Falun Gong, the most peaceful group.

He also called on the Chinese government to immediately release German student Xiong Wei and German resident Lin Wenrong who are currently unlawfully detained in China. He said that he would always stand by the side of Falun Gong, because it is the most peaceful group and deserves to be cherished.

Former United Kingdom Upper House member and senior diplomat Lord Thurlow said in his speech, "Presently, the world focuses its attention on the Middle East. However, on the other side of Asia, in China, the persecution and defaming propaganda against the 100 million non-violent, non-political Falun Gong practitioners have lasted for four years, which violates the UN human rights convention that China also signed." He also said that the persecution launched by this shameless centralized government (Jiang regime) is unparalleled, and was induced by jealousy.

Two Falun Gong practitioners, Zhao Ming, a graduate student from Ireland, and Zhang Xiaotian from Canada also gave speeches at the press conference. Zhao Ming had suffered brutal persecution for two years in China. Zhang Xiaotian's sister-in-law was tortured to death. His sister was forced to leave home and became destitute to avoid being imprisoned. They used their personal experiences to condemn the cruel persecution.

Zhao Ming said, "This is the fourth time we have appealed in front of the United Nations, because the inhuman persecution has been going on in China for four years. Support from the Irish Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as senior UN human rights commissioners played an important role in helping me to gain release from China and return to Ireland to continue my studies. I would like to express my appreciation to all these kind-hearted people. I would also like to tell all representatives from all UN countries and all human rights representatives, that up to the present, more than 600 innocent Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death."

A representative from "Friends of Charles Li" also attended the press conference. He called on the Chinese government to release Falun Gong practitioner Charles Li, an American citizen who has been wrongfully detained in China. Dr. Charles Li went back to China in January 2003 to visit his family and was illegally arrested as soon as he stepped off the airplane at the Guangzhou Airport in China.

Posting date: 3/19/2003
Original article date: 3/19/2003
Category: Falun Dafa Worldwide
Translated on 3/18/2003
Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2003/3/18/46664.html

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