Russia: Practitioners Expose the Persecution During the G8 Summit

The G8 summit 2006 was held from July 15th to 17th in St. Petersburg, Russia. The heads of USA, Russia, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Japan and Italy participated in the summit. Russian Falun Gong practitioners used all kinds of opportunities to expose the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners to people in all circles of society during the G8 summit.

Audience take photos of practitioners	Practitioner explains the facts about Falun Gong

Falun Gong practitioners submitted an open letter through the diplomatic organisations of the above countries in Russia before the beginning of the G8 summit. They appealed to the national leaders attending the summit to address the persecution of Falun Gong in China, especially the mass organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners. Governments with conscience in the world cannot ignore it. They should help stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, which has lasted for 7 years.

Practitioners also participated in the Society Forum, an activity permitted by the mayor of St. Petersburg to let the public freely express themselves. The Society Forum was held in a stadium away from the downtown area. During the forum, practitioners held banners like, "Respected President Putin, please urge Hu Jintao to stop the persecution of Falun Gong". They distributed Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and materials about the facts of Falun Gong to groups and media which participated in the activity.

Mainstream media from Russia and other countries interviewed Falun Gong practitioners. Many people, including reporters of many media, signed their names to condemn the persecution. On the first day of the Society Forum, July 14th, Russia's NTV reported the activity of Society Forum in its news programme. It especially praised Falun Gong in the programme.

Media reporters interviewed Falun Gong practitioners	People sign a petition to support anti-persecution efforts

Practitioners met the Mayor of St. Petersburg twice at the forum. The first time, they asked her to pass their open letter to President Putin, asking him to help stop the persecution. She said, "Yes." When meeting her for the second time, practitioners gave her some leaflets exposing the Chinese Communist Party's crime of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners in labour camps and prisons. They asked her to put forward the issue of the persecution at the G8 summit. She agreed.

Many practitioners from other places, such as Moscow, Rybinsk and other cities came to help during the G8 summit. On the second day of the summit, practitioners gathered at a park near the G8 summit. They held group study and experience sharing, and sent forth righteous thoughts every hour.