Czech Republic: Czech Cabinet Members Raise their Voices in Support of Falun Gong

On February 15th 2008. Czech Minister of Finance Miroslav Kalousek joined the petition calling for an immediate end of persecution of Falun Gong in China. In a letter send to Czech Association of Falun Gong, minister Kalousek stated: “It is my honour to undersign this petition of yours. Allow me to express my gratitude for your effort to protect human rights in China.”

At the same time, the Czech Association of Falun Gong received a letter from the Czech Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Ondřej Liška, in which he states: "I would like to ensure you that on hearing of Falun Gong’s persecution in China does not leave me unmoved. I am well aware of China’s dramatic changes in recent years, its economic growth however does not square up with the improvement of social and legal status of the Chinese citizens. I am convinced that present Chinese economic development is in certain spheres in contradiction and happens at the expanse of basic human rights, with true concern I observe the reports on Falun Gong’s persecution in China.”

After last year’s letter of support for Falun Gong from Czech Vice premier Alexandr Vondra, two Czech cabinet members’ letters make another contribution to end the persecution of Falun Gong in China.