Canada: Vancouver Falun Dafa Practitioners Hold Press Conference to Urgently Appeal for the Rescue of Relatives in China

At 11 AM on June the 17th 2004, Falun Gong practitioners in Vancouver held a press conference in front of the Art Museum downtown to urgently call for help in rescuing their relatives in China. Mr. Roy Tyler Whyte, a candidate for Member of Parliament, gave a speech to help the rescue.

At the press conference, three Vancouver residents talked about the suffering of their relatives who are being persecuted in China for practising Falun Gong.

Mr. Roy Tyler Whyte, a candidate for Member of Parliament, gave a speech to help the rescue	Three Vancouver residents talk about the suffering of relatives persecuted in China for practising Falun Gong

Police in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province illegally took away Vancouver resident Qian Li's mother and sister on June 9. Qian's mother is still in detention. Qian said, "Many people in China and overseas think, 'If you practise Falun Gong at home and do nothing outdoors, who will interfere with you?' Unfortunately, this is not a fact in China." Qian's mother and sister practised Falun Gong exercises at home and read the books, but they were still abducted for no reason. Getting used to living freely overseas, Qian was shocked by such kinds of actions occurring in China.

Vancouver resident Chunyu Zhang's mother was illegally detained three times in Dandong, Liaoning Province. The most recent time was on May 24, 2004, when she was sent to do forced labour.

Chunyu Zhang said, "The persecution is fundamentally against China's constitution. It is Jiang Zemin's own decision and he does not represent the country. The persecution in China severely violates citizen's basic rights stipulated in China's constitution and breaches the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." He also wished those who followed Jiang in the persecution of Falun Gong would stop their wrongdoing right away.

In 2000, Vancouver resident Tianxiao Zhang's brother-in-law was tortured to death in Qingdao, Shandong Province. Tianxiao's sister was imprisoned in 2002 and the couple's daughter became an orphan. Tianxiao called for help from Canada to rescue her sister and her sister's daughter.

The three practitioners appealed to the international community to pay attention to the escalation of the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China. They also pointed out,"The persecution not only harms Falun Gong practitioners in China, but also those overseas. The Chinese regime arrests practitioners in China, which puts big mental pressure on their relatives overseas."

"Hearing the news that my mother and sister were illegally taken away, I was shocked," Qian Li said.

Chunyu Zhang was worried about her mother's safety and could not sleep for many nights. For over two years, Tianxiao has had no information about her sister's whereabouts.

The three practitioners called on China to stop the persecution and appealed to the Canadian government to help gain the release of their relatives.

Mr. Whyte said in his speech that he supported Falun Gong practitioners' efforts against the persecution and that the practitioners were peaceful. He believed that Falun Gong would prevail and that he would stand with the practitioners. Mr. Whyte also suggested that the Canadian Government take an active approach to condemn China's persecution of Falun Gong. He said that we should place human rights before commerce and trade.

Latest news: Qian Li's sister was just released and returned home. Before the press conference, news came that her mother was also released. Qian Li said, "I must point out: Chinese police's arresting at will is violating the law. My mother and sister have not committed any wrongdoing. It is the police that interfered with their normal life. In addition, Code 36 of China's Constitution stipulated that citizens have the freedom of belief. No one has the right to interfere. Whoever tries to force others to change their beliefs is violating the Constitution."

Currently, Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Li Lanqing, Liu Qi and other Chinese government officials are charged in many countries for genocide, torture and crimes against humanity. The Chinese vice general consulate in Toronto was ruled against for breaching this international Covenant.

Local media, including The Province, Canadian Wire and Mingpao, dispatched reporters to cover the event. Within half an hour, Vancouver residents were able to listen to the news about the event on a local radio station.