Vancouver, Canada: Practitioners Call on the Canadian Government to Bar Entry to a High-ranking Chinese Official Responsible for Persecution (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) At 1 o'clock on September 28, 2005, practitioners held a press conference in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery to call on the federal government to bar entry to Dalian Mayor Xia Deren, who is known to be a key perpetrator of the persecution against Falun Gong. Xia was found in default of crimes against humanity by a U.S. court. Xia was scheduled to visit Canada on September 30.

The press conference site

During the press conference, practitioner Zhang Chunyu gave a speech. He said his mother, Yang Huizhen, was illegally arrested for the third time on May 24, 2004, by police in Dandong City, Liaoning Province. His mother was subsequently detained in the Baifang Detention Center of Dandong City. Almost at the same time of his mother's arrest, police officers broke into his sister Zhang Chungang's home and illegally arrested her. Chungang is now being detained in the notorious Masanjia Forced Labor Camp. Mr. Zhang Chunyu strongly called for help to stop the persecution, and specifically called on the federal government to bar Xia Deren from entering Canada.

Practitioners read a letter written by David Matas, renowned human rights lawyer, to the Minister of Public Safety and Immigration. Mr. Matas said that based on Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program, one should be denied entry to Canada if he is suspected of crimes against humanity. Mr. Matas said that he believed Xia Deren has committed crimes against humanity.

Senior MP David Kilgour once said that there was no doubt that the Chinese government persecutes Falun Gong practitioners mercilessly across China, and that he believes the perpetrators of the persecution should not be permitted to enter Canada.

On September 27, Canadian officials confirmed that they had received evidence of crimes against humanity committed by Xia Deren from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the related materials from the U.S. Court verdict on Xia's Crimes Against Humanity. Since the nature of his crimes is so severe, Xia was added to a watch list kept by the RCMP. Xia is one of 45 Chinese officials on the list. Evidence of each official's direct responsibility for the persecution of Falun Gong is also in the RCMP's possession. These officials come from different levels of the Party Committees, "610 Offices," local governments and forced labor camps This list was established by Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program (CCAHWCP) prior to Xia's visit. According to Canadian laws, if anyone on the list attempts to enter Canada, a prompt investigation could take place, potentially resulting in refusal of visas to Canada, deportation, charges and punishment based on Canada's laws governing crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Xia is from Liaoning Province, notorious for relentlessly persecuting Falun Gong. As deputy governor of Liaoning Province and Mayor of Dalian city, Xia has been supervising and directing persecution against practitioners. To date, 340 practitioners have been persecuted to death in Liaoning province. This represents the third highest death toll among the provinces in China. Moreover, in Liaoning Province, Dalian City is one of the cities which persecutes Falun Gong the most severely. As of September 27, 2005, 53 practitioners have been persecuted to death in Dalian.

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