Joint Announcement By Falun Dafa Associations in Europe: Falun Dafa Practitioners To Hold Peaceful Appeals In European Countries

To coincide with North American Falun Dafa practitioners' large scale activities during the Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States, practitioners in Europe will hold peaceful appeals in front of Chinese embassies and consulates in European countries between October 20, 2002 and October 27, 2002. The aim of these appeals is to clarify the facts to the public, and to protest the persecution of Falun Gong.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." Through its practice, many practitioners have benefited through learning to become better people. Since Mr Li Hongzhi introduced Falun Dafa to the public in May 1992, it has spread rapidly, and there are now many practitioners in over 50 countries around the world.

However, to protect his self-interest, China's dictator launched the persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999. For the past three years. Jiang has directed a policy to, "ruin their reputation, drain their financial resources, and destroy them physically." As of end of October 2001, according to the government's official internal statistics, 1600 Falun Gong practitioners were tortured to death. In fact, as of October, 503 deaths have been verified and reported overseas. In the past three years, tens of thousands of practitioners have been illegally jailed, sent to labour camps, and tortured, and had their houses ransacked. Thousands have been sent forcibly to psychiatric hospitals.

Over the past three years, Falun Dafa practitioners have followed Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, clarifying the facts to governments and to people, to protest this political persecution that is in fact against the Chinese Constitution and laws, as well as a crime against humanity. Many government officials, media, and human rights organizations have stood up to condemn the brutal persecution, and have supported Falun Dafa through 800 proclamations commending the practice.

The appeals will demonstrate to the world the peaceful nature of Falun Gong, as well as the Falun Gong practitioners' firm belief in their practice, encouraging more people to see the truth of the Jiang regime's persecution. We will continue our peaceful appeals and clarify the truth to the public to call for an end to this evil persecution.

Falun Dafa Association of Europe
Falun Dafa Association of North Europe
Falun Dafa Association of Baltic Sea and Russia
Falun Dafa Association of Switzerland
Falun Dafa Association of Belgium
Falun Dafa Association of UK
Falun Dafa Association of France
Falun Dafa Association of Germany
Falun Dafa Association of Sweden
Falun Dafa Association of Denmark
Falun Dafa Association of Norway
Falun Dafa Association of Finland
Falun Dafa Association of Austria
Falun Dafa Association of Ireland
Falun Dafa Association of Spain
Falun Dafa Association of Italy
Falun Dafa Association of Holland
Falun Dafa Association of Israel
Falun Dafa Association of Czech
Falun Dafa Practitioners in Greece
Falun Dafa Practitioners in Turkey
Falun Dafa Practitioners in Hungary
Falun Dafa Practitioners in Romania
Falun Dafa Practitioners in Bulgaria
Falun Dafa Practitioners in Iceland