Press Releases and Media Reports
TV and Radio | Publications | Press Releases
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EFGIC: "Sandstorm” Wins Top Honours at International Film Festival
2004-07-16LONDON (EFGIC) – A Chinese language film about the persecution of Falun Gong is continuing to gain wide praise, most recently winning top honours at the 27th Annual Philadelphia International Film Festival (Philafilm).“Sandstorm,” a movie that depicts the moral awakening of a policeman involved in torturing Falun Gong practitioners, received the Philafilm’s Gold Award for Best Feature Film on July 3, 2004. Sandstorm also won Best Feature Film at the deadCenter Film Festival in Oklahoma City in June and a “Festival Special Prize” at the Law & Society International Film Festival in Moscow in April. -
Russia: Irkutsk TV Station Broadcasts the Truth of the Persecution of Falun Gong
2004-07-16More and more Russian media reported on the persecution of Falun Gong in China. When we distributed leaflets about the shooting incident in South Africa and lawsuits against Jiang Zemin in many countries, three middle-aged women from the former Soviet Union asked me in Russian, “What is this?" I answered, “This is a peaceful method of cultivation, Falun Dafa, which is being persecuted in China." On hearing this, they said to me that they had seen a report about it on TV.” -
Article from the Irish Times: Chinese Man's Case 'Quite Remarkable'
2004-07-14Mr David Norris (Ind) said it was quite remarkable that a man who had been released from confinement in China was unable to gain re-admission to Ireland because of visa problems. He said Mr Feng Liu, who was a Falun Gong practitioner, had previously been a student here. He had subsequently been detained in a labour camp by the Chinese authorities. As a result of pressure, in which the Irish Government had played a part, he had been released. Mr Liu wished to return to Ireland, with his wife, to resume his life and his studies here. -
Radio Free Asia: Falun Gong Practitioners in Different European Countries Appeal for a Thorough Investigation of the Shooting Incident in South Africa
2004-07-12After the shooting incident on June the 28th in South Africa, Falun Gong practitioners in Germany and other European countries started to appeal to draw attention to the matter, with protests at Chinese embassies and consulates in countries all over Europe. Falun Gong practitioners in Germany and other European countries have now extended the protests and appeals to South African Embassies as well. -
Radio Free Asia: Falun Gong Practitioners Appealed to the German Foreign Minister About Human Rights Issues During his Visit to China.
2004-07-11Practitioners in Germany appealed to the German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer about human rights abuse in China, and asked him to help to bring an end to the persecution taking place in China during his coming visit to China. The following report is the summary of an interview with Falun Gong practitioners conducted by Tianyi, a reporter for Radio Free Asia. -
Radio France Internationale: Falun Gong Sues Li Changchun During His Visit to Paris
2004-07-10“As a Politburo Standing Committee member, Mr Li is in charge of information and media control in China...He supported brainwashing and torture of Falun Gong practitioners while serving as the Communist Party Secretary of Guangdong province. So far, twenty six Falun Gong deaths from torture in Guangdong prison have been verified. Of China’s thirty provinces, the number of deaths of Falun Gong practitioners in Guangdong ranked 8th, ” says Zhang Jianping. -
EFGIC: The “Transformation” of Mr. Han
2004-07-09'LONDON (EFGIC) – Sources in China recently related to us the story of Mr. Han, a Falun Gong practitioner whose journey took him from being tortured to becoming the torturer, and finally back again, until he was ultimately killed by the very same system.' -
Report from the French Falun Dafa Information Centre: The President of the Closing Ceremony of China-France Culture Year, Li Changchun, Sued in Paris
2004-07-09On July 2nd, a lawsuit filed against Mr. Li Changchun, accused of being an accessory to torture, was handed to the Inquisitor of the Superior Republic Court of Paris and was accepted. As a committee member of the Central Communist China Political Department, the former Guangdong Province's Committee Secretary Mr. Li Changchun has prepared for the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners even before July 20th 1999 and has vigorously helped to sustain the execution of the persecution. -
Article from The Times: Falun Gong Practitioner Shot in South Africa
2004-07-09A member of the Falun Gong movement has been shot in a drive-by attack in South Africa. David Liang sustained gunshot wounds to his feet after his car was sprayed with bullets near Johannesburg. He was in the country to protest at talks between the Chinese and South African governments. “After shooting at us they did not rob us and simply sped away,” Mr Liang said from his hospital bed. “We are sure the Chinese Government is involved.” -
Radio France Internationale (RFI): Falun Gong sues Li Changchun in Paris
2004-07-08Three practitioners of the Falun Gong Spiritual movement filed a lawsuit in Paris against Li Changchun. The group said Mr Li was the accomplice to crimes of torture against the group, which is outlawed in China. The group said Mr Li had called for the elimination of Falun Gong practitioners and supported torture while serving as Communist Party Secretary of Guangdong Province. “Of China’s thirty provinces, Guangdong ranks eighth in terms of deaths of Falun Gong practitioners from abuse in custody ”, says Zhang Jianping, Falun Gong contact person in Paris. -
EFGIC: “Who Shot David Liang?”
2004-07-07LONDON (EFGIC) – Who shot Falun Gong practitioner David Liang last week in South Africa is a question drawing international attention, and one casting light on the notorious records of two Chinese officials who were visiting South Africa at the time. On June 28, nine Falun Gong practitioners from Australia, including David Liang, arrived in South Africa to assist locals in raising awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong, as well as the particular role of two visiting Chinese officials: Vice President Zeng Qinghong and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai. -
Radio France Internationale: Falun Gong is Convinced that the Shooting Incident in South Africa is the Result of Hiring Gunmen by a Chinese Government Agency
2004-07-07In a fax document forwarded to us by Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Jianping , it was stated that the vice president of China, Zeng Qinghong, is now visiting South Africa and has met with the President. Australian Falun Gong practitioners heard about the visit and a small group travelled to South Africa and shortly after their arrival in the capital, Johannesburg, last night one of them was shot. His foot was injured and he is now in hospital for treatment. The Falun Gong Association believe that the gunmen were hired to kill in an act of terrorism conducted by Beijing. -
EFGIC: Pro-Communist Chinese Association Heads Served with Summons for Assault against Falun Gong
2004-07-06LONDON (EFGIC) – Six defendants, including two pro-Communist organisations, were served with a summons for a civil lawsuit yesterday for their roles in an assault against practitioners of Falun Gong last year in New York City. Mr. Guan Liang, the head of the Unified Federation of Chinese Associations, which has close ties to the Chinese consulate, was arrested last year for his leading role in the group assault. During the assault, which took place June 23, 2003, in Manhattan’s Chinatown, one victim sustained multiple injuries, including a black eye and bloody nose. -
Russia: On World Anti-Torture Day a Russian TV Station Exposes the Torture of Falun Gong Practitioners in China
2004-07-05In a recent special report about World Anti-Torture Day on Russian TV, a series of torture pictures and film stills were shown, many of which showed Falun Gong practitioners that had been tortured. The report pointed out that although every country has its laws to protect people’s right to be alive and live securely, they had not been able to stop the use of torture. -
EFGIC: Falun Gong Practitioner Shot During Chinese Officials’ Visit to South Africa
2004-06-30'LONDON (EFGIC) – The drive-by shooting of a Falun Gong practitioner in South Africa on Monday marks a new level of violence and recklessness in former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin’s worldwide persecution of Falun Gong. David Liang was driving one of two cars en route from Johannesburg airport to Pretoria around 8:30 Monday evening when a white car with three occupants overtook them and fired at least five shots into the vehicle. Liang was hospitalized with bullet wounds and his car was disabled in the incident.'