European Friends of Falun Gong Appeal for the Release of Charles Li

Tang Jiaxuan Minister
Foreign Affairs
2 Chaoyangmen Nandajie
Beijing 100701
PR China

28th March 2003

Your Excellency

We are appealing to you to release US citizen and Falun Gong practitioner Mr Charles Li, who has recently been arrested at Guangzhou airport by police in southern China for allegedly sabotaging TV and radio equipment.

As you know, Mr Li denies these charges categorically and believes, as we do, that his detention has far more to do with his practice of Falun Gong than with anything else.

The Chinese government’s decision to put Charles Li on ‘trial’ makes a mockery of any justice, which would normally be accorded to any accused person in a western democracy with a fair judicial system. If Mr Li is to be tried, we appeal to you to ensure that his trial is conducted with due recourse to justice. Mr Li has decided to conduct his own defence, as he has no confidence that the lawyers available to him in China would be able to act independently and without prejudice, in order to produce a fair result free of interference from government.

We have been very concerned with the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners throughout China ever since the policy of persecution was instigated in July 1999, and are well aware of the brutal treatment which Mr Li is likely to undergo if he is found guilty and sentenced to a prison term. We therefore appeal to you once again to ensure that his trial is conducted in accordance with international law, and, if he is found innocent, that he will be freed without further persecution or harassment by government officials.

Yours sincerely,

European Friends of Falun Gong