UK Falun Gong practitioners go on hunger strike in London and Edinburgh

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – [ http://www.faluninfo.net/ ]

Falun Gong practitioners go on hunger strike in London and Edinburgh

LONDON, March 19, 2002 (Falun Gong Information Centre UK) – At 7.30 am on 20 March 2002, three Falun Gong practitioners will go on hunger strike outside the Chinese Embassy in London. There will be a press conference outside the Chinese Embassy at Portland Place at 11 am. The hunger strike will finish at 11.30 pm on 23 March 2002. The practitioners will hand in a letter to Tony Blair at 3 pm on 20 March 2002.

One Falun Gong practitioner will go on hunger strike in Edinburgh. She will be in front of the Chinese Consulate at 43 Station Road, Edinburgh from 9 am to 5 pm on 20/3 and 21/3. A press conference will be held at 10 am on 20/3/02.

The four practitioners are Ms Yanyu Fan, Ms Helen Chauntry, Mr Michael Holland and Ms Christina Jingha. Individual statements by each of the practitioners will be read out at the Press Conference.

Chinese president Jiang Zemin, without legal authority, reportedly gave orders to "kill [Falun Gong practitioners] without mercy", immediately following a March 5 surprise TV broadcast in Changchun city in northeastern China that was supportive of Falun Gong. Cities and provinces across China have been compiling lists of specific Falun Gong practitioners to be executed.

China' police have received orders to "shoot on sight" any Falun Gong practitioners seen handing out or posting Falun Gong flyers in China. So far, four practitioners have been shot in the streets in Liaoning and Heilongjiang Provinces (8 March 02, Agence France Press). See details and photos of the people shot at http://faluninfo.net.

The purpose of the hunger strike is to draw the attention of the world and, in particular, the UK Government to the severe escalation in the violence used by the Chinese Government to persecute Falun Gong practitioners.

The Falun Gong Information Centre UK has verified details of over 381 deaths since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600. Over 100,000 have been detained, with more than 20,000 being sentenced to forced labour camps without trial.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN GONG INFORMATION CENTRE- Contacts: Christina Jingha 0131-3365295 or 07789717349, Peter Jauhal 0799 054 1284. Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/ or http://www.clearharmony.net/