Australia: With Jilin Practitioner on Brink of Death, Australian Falun Gong Practitioners Protest the Persecution in front of Chinese Consulate

To support Falun Gong practitioners detained in Jilin Prison who are on hunger strikes and to protest the persecution of Falun Gong practitioner Liu Chengjun who has been tortured to the brink of death because of his involvement in TV signal-tapping incident that took place on March 5, 2002, Falun Gong practitioners from Victoria Province of Australia held a press conference and candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate in Melbourne to strongly protest the Jiang regime's ruthless torture of detained Falun Gong practitioners and call for the immediate release of innocent people.

The spokesperson of Falun Dafa Association Ms. Kati Vereshaka said during an interview that news from reliable sources revealed that over 100 Falun Gong practitioners incarcerated in Jinlin Jail went on hunger strikes to protest the jail's brutal torture and these practitioners were in great danger. According to a preliminary investigation by the World Organisation to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG), Mr. Liu Chengjun was tortured to the brink of death due to his alleged involvement in a TV signal-tapping incident that took place on March 5, 2002. Picture from an official Chinese website showed blood spots splattered all over the room where Liu was detained. Obviously, Liu Chengjun cannot sit up in a natural posture.

Another practitioner stated that in order to force a relative of Liu Chengjun to confess the Mr. Liu's location, the police beat him up and his entire body from waist down became black and blue. Unable to endure the torture, the relative revealed the location where Liu Chengjun was hiding. Liu Chengjun was shot at when police arrested him and his leg was broken. During the court trial in Changchun, the Mid Court police tried to stop practitioners from defending themselves with brutal beatings and electric baton shocks. After the trial, Liu Chengjun was unable to walk and was carried back to his cell.

A witness said recently that when he saw Liu Chengjun, he was unconscious. His familiar face was hard to recognise, and his eyes were gray and dim. He was being given oxygen therapy and intravenous injections to sustain his life. When the news broke out, all overseas Falun Gong practitioners were extremely concerned for Liu Chengjun's life and safety.

A representative of the Falun Gong Association said they called upon people from all walks of life to actively participate in the rescue efforts and called upon the international community to pressure China to stop the persecution and save innocent lives. They called upon all the forces of justice in China and in the international community to support the lawsuit to bring Jiang Zemin to justice.