Taiwan: Falun Dafa Association Issues Public Statement Regarding Multiple Arrests in Mainland China

In an October 21 legislative press conference, Zhang Qingxi, director of the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association disclosed the following: Since Jiang Zemin, former leader of CCP, started to suppress Falun Gong in July 1999, widespread, violent persecution has taken place throughout China. This persecution even includes residents who are not Chinese citizens, as seen in the cases of the following Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners.

Ms. Wang Xiuhua went on a business trip to Shanghai on January 2, 2003. She did not take any banned articles, nor is she a criminal. When she arrived at Pudong Airport, plain-clothes police forcibly took her to the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, where she was detained for 28 days, and interrogated for more than 18 hours each day. Ms. Wang was deprived of sleep for up to 30-40 hours at a time, and forced to stand in a fixed position for extended periods. She suffered abuse from the police, and threats that she would be sentenced to 3-7 years in prison. Only after Ms. Wang's company and relatives got involved, spending a lot of money and using connections, was she finally released at 2:00 p.m. on January 29. She returned to Taiwan via Air Macau.

Mr. Fan Guohua, a resident of Yonghe City, Taiwan, is self-employed. In July 2002, his family of four went to their hometown, Qingdao City, in Mainland China to visit relatives. They clarified the truth about Falun Gong to his friends and relatives. On the 3rd day in Qingdao City, Mr. Fan was taken to the police station, where the police slapped him twice in the face. His whole family was repatriated the next day, and the Falun Gong books that Fan Guohua took with him were confiscated.

Ms. Cheng Xi, a housewife around 40 years old, is originally from Mainland China. Her husband's family lives in Taipei, and have been in Taiwan for over 4 years. Concerned about the current Falun Gong situation, Cheng Xi went back to Shenzhen, Mainland China on January 9, 2002. She was arrested by police on January 18, 2003. Her husband's family was afraid of the CCP, and remained low key in their rescue efforts. Cheng Xi was sentenced to 4 years in prison and is currently detained in the No. 1 Detention Centre in Shentuchuan, Nanshan District.

Ms. Cheng Shihueng, 31 years old, was originally from Mainland China. Her husband's family lives in Zhanghua County, Taiwan. It was reported that she returned to Mainland China in October 2002 and is currently illegally detained in Shenzhen City Forced Labour Camp. Her 5-year-old child is still waiting for her to come home.

Ms. Zhang Qiong, is originally from Mainland China. Her husband's family lives in Zhanghua County, Taiwan. It was reported that she was sentenced to prison after being detained for several months in China.

At the end of the press conference, due to the incident with Lin Xiaokai and the suffering of several Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners, the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association issued a public statement declaring three things.

1. We demand that the Chinese government unconditionally release Lin Xiaokai and other illegally detained Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners without delay, and protect the basic human rights of Taiwanese people.

2. We urge the four parties in legislature to pass a resolution "Calling on all people to stop the persecution of Falun Gong by Jiang Zemin, and release the innocent Taiwanese People." Zhang Qingxi noted that more than ten countries around the world have already passed over 130 statements and resolutions condemning this persecution.

3. We call on Taiwanese human rights organisations and international human rights organisations to begin investigating the persecution of Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners by Jiang's regime and the infringement of the interests of Taiwanese people, utilising all available assistance, as soon as possible.