Slovakia: Falun Gong Introduced in Velky Krtis and Rimavska Sobota

On Friday the10th of August 2007 practitioners of Falun Gong visited Velky Krtis, a middle sized city in southern Slovakia. Many people from Velky Krtis knew already about the information day, because the information about it was announced in a local broadcast (editor note: by local megaphones in the city) and also on the city’s website.

Soon after the Falun Gong practitioners set up their information stand, people started to come to sign the petition calling for an end to the persecution. The petition was signed by about 200 people in Velky Krtis. Small children offered to help with giving out the flyers, so in a short time a lot of passers-by, when offered a flyer, just smiled and said, “I already have one, thanks.” The children were also interested in learning the five sets of of Falun Gong exercises.

People read the posters to find out more

Passers-by looked at banners showing scenes from the persecution of Falun Gong in China and asked how such terrible human rights crimes are possible today. Many people also questioned whether a country that abuses human rights to this extent should be holding the Olympic Games.

A journalist from a local edition of Pravda newspaper came to see the information day and get information about the result of these protests, which have taken place throughout Slovakia for over four years.

Lots of petition signatures were collected calling for an end to the persecution and a group of children learned the exercises

On Saturday the 11th of August, the practitioners went to Rimavska Sobota where they were welcomed by a few children, who had already heard about the activity and wanted to have their silhouette drawn on the pavement, as a sign of protest against the persecution by the communist regime. Many tourists from Hungary stopped by the information banners and watched the Falun Gong exercises. Some also signed the petition.

A local journalist did an interview with a practitioner and took pictures from the exercises. During the morning about a 100 new signatures were added to the petition.