Chuck Reed
COUNCIL MEMBER
October 8, 2002
Clark T. Randt, Jr.
Ambassador to China
American Embassy Beijing
3 Xiu Shui Bei Jie
Beijing 100600
People's republic of China
Dear Ambassador:
Some of my constituents have family members who have been imprisoned by government authorities in China because they are Falun Gong practitioners. This letter is a request that you communicate to the Chinese government that further persecution of the Falun Gong practitioners in China is completely unacceptable and that these people should be released immediately. On behalf of my community, I request your leadership in urging China's officials to cease their persecution of the Chinese people who wish to follow their own religious beliefs [Editor - Falun Gong is not a religion]. This fundamental, basic human right should be respected and protected for all people, not just Americans.
I would appreciate it if you could request the release of the following individuals who are related to my constituents.
San Jose resident Stephanie Li's sister Jianhua Lu:
Jianhua had been imprisoned for 10 months at the notorious Masanjia Labor Camp until September 2001, when Bay Area government officials and residents successfully appealed for her release. Since then she traveled for thousands of miles to Tibet and lived in exile to avoid police harassment. On August 29, 2002, she was arrested in Lhasa, Tibet after found to be a Falun Gong practitioner.
San Jose resident Fucheng Fu's wife M.D. Meirong Zhang
M.D. Meirong Zhang is a retired internal medicine doctor. She had been arrested for 4 times since China's president began persecuting Falun Gong practitioners in July 1999. On February 2nd, 2002, while cooking dinner for the family, she was taken away from her home by the "610 Office" despite her high blood pressure. She is currently detained in the Pi County Detention Center.
Fremont resident Joan Chang's sister Ah-Lian Zhang:
Ah-Lian had hepatitis B when she was 19. It later developed into cirrhosis. She got cured after practicing Falun Gong. In June 2002, Ah-lian was arrested for practicing Falun Gong in a park. To escape from the notorious "brainwashing class," she was forced to leave home. On August 29, 2002, Ah-lian Zhang, along with another 10 Falun Gong practitioners in exile including 2 children, were arrested by the police in Lhasa, Tibet.
San Jose resident Zhihua Hu's two brothers Zhiqiang Hu and Zhiming Hu:
Zhiqiang was forced to sign a statement of giving up Falun Gong practice during his first arrest. In January 2002, the policemen found him sending out a Solemn Declaration indicating that he signed the statement under pressure and the statement was invalid. Zhiqiang was then detained on January 14, 2002 and was sent to a labor camp in Dandong, Liao-Ning province for 3 years term. In September 2000, Zhiming was arrested in Shanghai. A few months later, he was "sentenced" for 4 years jail term. There was no formal trial or any legal procedure.
Santa Clara resident George Li's sister Zhiping Li:
Zhiping had been arrested twice since the persecution started in July 1999. She was last arrested in August 2002 in Xia County, Shanxi Province, leaving her two young children (7 years old and 4years old) without a mother.
Very truly yours,
Chuck Reed
Council member
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