RFA Reports on Germany's Efforts to Rescue Falun Gong Practitioner Wang Xiaoyan

Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on the 20th of June that Falun Gong practitioner Wang Xiaoyan, wife of a student who studies Computer Science at the University of Leipzig in Germany, is being persecuted in Dalian City, China.

An RFA reporter interviewed Wang’s husband, Zhang Zhentong. He said that he first has got help and concern from the University and later from other areas of society:

“The Office for Foreigners in the university and the Student Association has shown me much concern and support after they knew my wife’s situation. They started an activity of signing a petition of support in the school. The director of the Department of Computer Science and other professors in the university expressed their support for me and signed the petition book.”

Zhang also mentioned that the school wrote a letter to the German leader Angela Merkel to ask for help as Ms. Merkel was also a graduate from the University of Leipzig.

Leipzig’s ancient churches are world famous. St. Thomas’s Church is one of the best known because Bach was choirmaster and musical director there. Father Christian Wolff from St. Thomas’s Church was concerned about the welfare of Zhang's wife. He wrote a letter to the Chinese Consulate in Germany to protest and ask them to release Wang. He told Wang's story to a congregation of nearly one thousand and talked about how Falun Gong is persecuted in China. He appealed for everyone’s help and support. Father Wolff said that the prayers of the St. Thomas’s Church congregation will be with Zhang.

RFA reported that two big newspapers in Leipzig have published their interviews with Zhang. They appealed to Dalian City, China, for an end of the persecution and to release Ms. Wang to Germany. The appeal is extended from Leipzig to all places in Germany, especially Dalian’s sister city Bremen.