By a Falun Dafa practitioner in Japan

(Clearwisdom.net) Dr. Li Xutong, a radiation protection expert in China, applied to the Japanese government for asylum on September 22, 2006. At a press conference held at the Judicial Press Club in Tokyo at 4:00 p.m. on September 22, Dr. Li Xutong explained to the Japanese media the reason for his application for asylum.

Dr. Li Xutong seeks asylum in Japan

Dr. Li Xutong, 44, was a researcher at the nuclear security center of the State Environmental Protection Administration. His title at the security center was professor, and he has published over 50 academic articles. Four times he won scientific research prizes at the ministerial and provincial levels. He said that he was in poor health since he was a child, and had lived a painful life of chronic hepatitis and other illnesses. But since 1996, he has practiced Falun Dafa, which teaches "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." As a result, he has become progressively healthier.

He found it hard to comprehend the persecution of Falun Gong. In September 2002, he was arrested and detained for 19 months at Beijing's Haidian District Detention Center and Tuanhe Forced Labor Camp for simply attending a gathering at a neighbor's home. After being released, he was sent to a "study class" organized by the National Organization Labor Committee to undergo brainwashing.

Dr. Li said at the press conference, "I am a Falun Gong practitioner, and I was imprisoned for 19 months by the CCP only for chatting at a neighbor's home. During the 19 months, in order to force me to acknowledge their lies and give up my belief, they constantly tortured and tormented me both physically and mentally. During the two years after being released, I was still under close surveillance by the CCP organization of my workplace and the '610 Office,' and I was subjected to the police's constant harassment. I was told by officials from the National Organization Labor Committee that [I should] either acknowledge their lies and give up my belief, or it will be continuous incarceration and torture. As a Falun Gong practitioner who takes 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance' as a code of conduct, in the past four plus years, I have been watching lies and deception around me but unable to openly express my true thoughts. I have also been under the threat of imprisonment and the humiliation of accepting being 'reformed.'"

Dr. Li Xutong continued to say, "I strongly call on the Japanese government and people to pay attention to and oppose the CCP authorities' brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, and pay attention to and support Falun Gong practitioners who live according to 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.'"

Dr. Li Xutong said that he has been to Japan twice. When he studied in Japan eighteen years ago, his colleagues in Japan expressed that he could stay in Japan to continue his studies, but he returned to China after his term was completed. Dr. Li has also been to the United States and Italy for study or research, but has never considered staying abroad. Now, he has chosen to stay in Japan, and though it is very painful for him to leave behind his family and career, he had no choice.

Mr. Yang Guiyuan, who was also forced to leave China by the CCP for practicing Falun Gong, also made a speech at the press conference. Mr. Yang Guiyuan was a PhD of pathophysiology at the First Military Medical University in Guangzhou, and a former instructor at the Changchun Quartermaster University of the PLA. He was placed under house arrest for three months and then lost his job for persisting in practicing Falun Gong. Later he went to Guangzhou to escape the persecution, but was sentenced to two years of forced labor. He suffered brutal torture at the No.1 Forced Labor Camp in Guangzhou. In 2004, he went abroad and received the Japanese government's help to stay in Japan.

Dr. Yang talked to the media about his ordeal and the CCP's crimes of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. He called on the Japanese government to condemn the CCP's atrocities of brutal persecution against Falun Gong.

Reporters from several mainstream media outlets attended the press conference.

Posting date: 9/26/2006
Original article date: 9/26/2006
Category: News & Media Reports
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2006/9/25/138643.html

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