News Releaseááááá for Immediate Release: October 18, 2001
Ottawa- Today, on the day of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's departure for the APEC conference in Shanghai, China, M.P. Mr. Irwin Cotler, Mr. Scott Reid, Ms. Libby Davies and Mr. Rob Anders joined Falun Gong practitioners and Canadian citizen Ms. Jingyu Li and permanent resident Ms. Li Zhang to appeal to Prime Minister to urge President Jiang Zemin to end the persecution and state-sponsored terrorism against Falun Gong and request the unconditional release of Canadian Citizen Jinyu Li's husband Shenli Lin and Li Zhang's husband Lizhi He, during his APEC meeting in China this weekend.
Jingyu's husband, Shenli Lin, was sent to a labour camp in Shanghai without trial for 18 months for his peaceful appeal for Falun Gong. After suffering in the labour camp for 18 months, on July 23, 2001, the day he should have been released, his labor camp term was again arbitrarily extended for another 6 months.
Li Zhang's husband, Lizhi He, was arrested on July 21, 2000 and later was sentenced to a three and half year prison term after a show trial for mailing articles about Falun Gong to his friends.
Mr. Cotler, legal counsel of Jinyu said: "I have asked the Prime Minister on the eve of his trip to 1). raise the plight of Falun Gong at all levels; 2). call upon the Chinese authorities to cease and desist from their policy and practice of prosecution, persecution and state-orchestrated hate; 3). release Shenli Lin and others for doing nothing other than espousing the values of "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance", which are basically the values of human civilization as a whole, and the basic fundamental values of the Chinese people in particular."
Mr. Reid continued: "Today, as Prime Minister Jean Chrétien leaves for Shanghai to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum, I ask that he raise the matter of Falun Gong persecution, and that he impress upon his Chinese hosts that entry to the International Community does not entail just limited market reforms, but that it also requires social freedom -- freedom of religion, freedom of association, freedom of speech, and freedom of conscience."
Ms. Davies said: "I am happy to join with other Members of Parliament and Falun Gong practitioners to speak out with a united voice to our Prime Minister as he begins his trip to China that the persecution, the imprisonment, the death, of Falun Gong in China is unconscionable", "On the trip of the Prime Minister to APEC, we want to say in the strongest way possible that we cannot ignore this issue."
Mr. Anders added "I want to draw the attention to the brutal repression of Falun Gong in China, I stand with them (Falun Gong practitioners). The authoritarian regime is lying about their repression of these kind, truthful and compassionate people."
On behalf of Falun Dafa association of Canada Mr. Xun Li stated, "Mr. Prime Minister we appeal to you because many innocent people have died. We appeal to you because Chinese consulates and embassies have made a mockery of Canadian sovereignty with their pervasive and persistent interference. Millions across Canada call for an end to this senseless persecution against the peaceful Falun Gong.
We express our confidence in you to follow through with your conviction to eliminate all terrorism in our world. Please urge China to abolish the 6-10 office responsible for the state terrorism against Falun Gong and bring Luo Gan to justice. Free Canadian citizen Jinyu Li's husband, Shenli Lin. Free Li Zhang's husband LiZhi He, and stop the persecution of Falun Gong. Hear the voice of your Canadian people and stand with us for justice."
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Category: Rallies & Protests
