In spite of interference and pressure, Russian Falun Gong practitioners successfully held a Russian Falun Dafa Truth Story Press Conference. Russian and Chinese media, as well as some human rights organizations' representatives, attended the Press Conference.
Mr. S. A. Kovaliov, an influential parliamentarian of Duma in Russia and in the world, and the Chair of the Human Rights Commission of Duma, attended the press conference in person. Mr. Kovaliov was very concerned with the Chinese government's persecution of Falun Gong and its interference to Russian Falun Gong practitioners' activities. His attendance was extended to an hour and half from the planned 15 minutes. Mr. Kovaliov gave a speech to the Russian and Chinese media who were present, including reporters from China's People's Daily Newspaper. The following are excerpts from his speech:
"...If the constitution prescribes that its citizens have the freedom of religious beliefs, then the government has no authority to announce which religious belief is evil, and should not be believed, or which one is righteous, and should be believed. If the Chinese government established such a law to categorize the religious beliefs, then no doubt it is violating the constitution. So the highest legislation in China should announce such a law as void, according to the Chinese constitution..."
"...About the self-immolation incident, if there was indeed such an event, then the question is: was this event organized? The key point is not whether these people were Falun Gong practitioners or not, but rather whether this Falun Gong practice encourages, demands, or forces them to pour gasoline onto themselves and set themselves on fire. As far as I know, however, the Chinese authority has no evidence, other than propaganda, to prove that this spiritual movement has caused any one's self-immolation..."
"...It is not China here. However, we have constantly been paying attention to the pressure from the Chinese diplomats. Any such kind of pressure from the diplomats of a country with that goal can absolutely not be tolerated. Such activities of the Chinese diplomats will bring grave consequences. Chinese diplomats' pressure and interference to Russian practitioners is a serious interference of the internal affairs of Russia, and has gone beyond the limit and scope of diplomatic conduct."
"... I doubt the legitimacy of the Chinese government's persecution of this spiritual movement very much. Such things are absolutely not allowed in Russia..."
Reported by Russian Falun Dafa practitioners
February 24, 2001
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