IGFM: “China intensifies Persecution of Falun Gong

German Demonstrators Arrested in Beijing

“Eight German citizens were arrested today at around 6:20 A.M. (4:20 P.M. Beijing time) on Tinanamen Square and taken away in a bus. They had participated in a peaceful demonstration for freedom of religious practices in the people’s republic of China,” relates the IGFM (Internationale Gesellschaft fuer Menschenrechte: International Association for Human Rights; translator). in Frankfurt.

Participating in this demonstration were Falun Gong practitioners from Switzerland, France, Great Britain, Sweden, USA, Israel, Australia, Ireland and Canada. One person was injured. Four of the arrested Germans came from the Frankfurt region. The German demonstrators are Peter Recknagel, Monika Weiss, Dominik Henselmann, Mathias Schmelz, Nina Gumpold, Wolfgang Gumpold, Marion Ogorek and Vitali Uhl. Shortly before their flight they issued a statement, which told of their decision to take this step.

Foremost on their agenda was to raise awareness of the unrelenting persecution of Falun Gong in China for more than two years and wish to see the notorious “610 Office” dissolved. (This is an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems). The German government up to this point has kept silent about the subject of human rights in China and also about the “610 Office.” This office is administered by a ruling party leader in Beijing with the name of Luo Gan, who also administers the Committee for Law and Politics of the Chinese ruling party. This “610 Office” has an independent network of district offices, reaching down to the local levels. Edits of this bureau take priority over judiciary principles.

The IGFM demanded of Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer to immediately intervene for the release of the detained demonstrators and for the release of all conscientious prisoners in China.