Bulgaria: Exposing the 11 Years of Persecution Against Falun Gong in China

It has been 11 years since the beginning of the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The persecution began at the orders of one man: Jiang Zemin, the head of the Chinese Communist Party in 1999. Jealous of Falun Gong's popularity amongst the people, he ordered the practice to be destroyed and so began the systematic torture, killing and abuses. This has now been going on for 11 years.

People learn about the nature of Falun Dafa and ongoing repression in China at Serdika subway station in Sofia.

On July 20 rallies are held all over the world to mark the launch of these terrible human rights abuses. According to the Falun Dafa Information Centre’s data, the number of Falun Dafa practitioners killed as a result of the persecution is more than 3,000. Because of the information blockade in China it is hard to find out the real number of the victims. However, the real number is thought to be much higher than the official figure of 3,000.

Bulgarian Falun Gong practitioners organised activities in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna to expose the brutal persecution and call for its end.

In Sofia there were activities in front of the National Palace of Culture and near the entrance of the Serdika subway station. The practitioners placed banners saying: “Falun Dafa – Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance”, “Falun Dafa – an Ancient Chinese Cultivation Practice of Both Mind and Body” and “SOS: Stop the Genocide: Stop the Organ Harvesting from Falun Gong Practitioners in China”.

Many were interested in the demonstration of the Falun Gong exercises. They stopped and read the banners exposing how Falun Gong practitioners have been killed for organ harvesting in Chinese state hospitals and prisons.

A woman said that the practice is perfect for her son and promised to give him a flyer. She signed the petition which call for the end of the persecution. She added that in order to stop these human rights abuses determined actions should be taken.

A practitioner hands out flyers, Serdika subway station, July 20, 2010.

An old lady stopped as her grandson wanted to find out more. She learned about Falun Dafa and signed the petition. She was very interested in studying the philosophy and the exercises of Falun Dafa.
A man said that he had seen similar activity in Ireland and that’s why he knew about Falun Dafa.
After taking information materials two Greeks remembered that they were familiar with Falun Gong from another activity in front of the National Palace of Culture. Some women stopped in front of the banners and after realizing it was about Falun Gong immediately signed the petition. They had heard about the CCP’s organ harvesting from practitioners before.

In Plovdiv, Falun Dafa practitioners handed out flyers in the downtown and clarified the facts about what is happening in China. The truth for the ruthless persecution and the atrocious torture shocked many people. The majority could not imagine how such brutality could continue in our so called “advanced society” against people who try to live their life by the principles of Truthfulness – Compassion – Forbearance. People stated that they are willing to help put an end to the repression and actively asked about the facts.

In conversations with practitioners, many people expressed their desire to learn more about Falun Dafa.
In Varna practitioners demonstrated the exercises in the Sea Garden, placed banners, handed out flyers and gathered signatures to stop the repressions. People asked about Falun Dafa and why it is persecuted. Most of the passers-by read the banners and stopped to watch the demonstration of the exercises. Many were interested in the practice and where they could learn the exercises.


People learn the Falun Gong exercises in Varna’s Sea Garden	The banners which focused the attention of the passers-by.	The practitioners handed out flyers and gathered signatures to stop the persecution in China.