Press Releases and Media Reports, Persecution Spreads from China to Europe, Voices of Support, Latest Events
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Open Magazine Publishes Inside Story on SARS in China - "Covering up the Epidemic".
2003-05-10The article in Open Magazine said this was not the first time that the Chinese government concealed information of an epidemic and missed the chance to control the spread of the virus. A few years ago, when the first group of AIDS cases due to blood-transfusion were found in Henan Province, to secure Beijing's "stability" during the People's Congress, information was kept from the public. The information withholding lasted for a few years, which caused AIDS cases to spread to many provinces in mid-China and a number of "AIDS villages" appeared. -
FDI: Justice Closes In On Former Chinese Leader
2003-05-10On October 18, 2002, individual plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit in the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, against Jiang and the Falun Gong Control "610" Office (a nation-wide Gestapo-like agency created by Jiang specifically to persecute Falun Gong). Specific causes of action pleaded in the complaint include torture, genocide, and denial of the right to life. -
Spain: Telling Chinese People the Truth about Falun Dafa in Madrids Chinatown
2003-05-09A shopkeeper said after receiving a Video-CD: Ive never believed the propaganda from Jiangs party. Judging from the movements in history, Jiangs party is used to cheating the public with lies to achieve its aims. Ive never believed their packs of lies. Falun Gong must be good, or there wouldnt be so many people practising. -
Report from Swedish Newspaper The Expressen: Swede Pirjo Svensson Arrested in Bangkok Without Being Charged
2003-05-09The arrest of Swedish Falun Gong practitioner Mrs Pirjo Svensson in Bangkok, headlined Swedens mainstream media which emphasised her innocence and the swift response of Thailands Swedish Embassy. The following report was translated on May 1st from The Expressen, the biggest evening daily in Sweden. -
Report from German newspaper Rhen Neckar: "To Help Xiong Wei"
2003-05-09'The aims of this appeal are not only to help Ms. Xiong Wei, but also for people to express their concerns for all Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted in China, as well as the conditions of human rights in China. All citizens in Weinheim can appeal to the German government by signing their names on a Falun Gong petition. The Mayor has also already signed his name.' -
SCMP (South China Morning Post) Reports on Various Groups Voicing Their Fears Over Article 23
2003-05-09'The head of the Catholic Church in Hong Kong yesterday launched a harsh attack on the government and "disgusting" pro-government legislators, claiming they were using the atypical pneumonia outbreak to push through controversial anti-subversion laws...Legal and human rights heavyweights such as the Bar and Law Society, Amnesty International, the Article 23 Concern Group and the Asian Human Rights Commission all voiced their fears.' -
Poland: Zhang Cuiyings Photo Exhibition lets Many People Learn about Falun Dafa
2003-05-08Zhang Cuiying was welcomed to the Warsaw School of Journalism by the Dean, an audience of journalism students and members of the media who expressed admiration at her paintings and eagerly took part in a discussion. The Dean also spoke and in his speech he concluded with a touching salute to the artist and her personal story. He expressed hope that one day soon Falun Gong in China will be free from persecution. -
Swedish Embassy Issues Diplomatic Note to Demand Immediate Explanation about the Arrest of Swedish Falun Gong Practitioner
2003-05-08Both the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swedish Embassy in Thailand expressed serious concern over the detention and possible deportation of Mrs. Svensson and demanded an immediate explanation from the Thai Foreign Ministry. Shocked by news of Mrs. Svensson's arrest, Swedish media headlined the story in several newspapers. -
Netherlands: Letter from Practitioner Denied a Passport by the Jiang Regime, Seeking Help from a Member of Parliament
2003-05-08"My nationality is being taken away from me by the Chinese embassy. The reason for this is simply because of my belief in Falun Gong...However, the violations to my human rights are trivial when compared to what had happened in China. You may have heard already heard of how an eight-month-old baby was tortured to death together with his 30-year-old mother because his mother practised Falun Gong. Brutal persecution against this group of peaceful and kind-hearted people is happening every day, every hour and every minute. I also fear that I will be subjected to similar persecution should I be forced to return to China." -
AFP (Agence-france Presse): US has "serious reservations" about Proposed Hong Kong Sedition Law
2003-05-08'"Serious reservations remain about provisions for the proscription of organizations endangering national security. As currently drafted, the law stands to blur the dividing lines between the Chinese and Hong Kong legal systems," Reeker said in a statement. Human rights and pro-democracy groups fear China could use the new law to suppress freedoms including those of media, speech and religion.' -
Times of India: Falun Gong Wave Reaches Indian Shores
2003-05-08'"The SARS issue will help focus the world's attention on the way the Chinese government lies," points out Jauhal. "Our newspaper, Falun Dafa Today, reported about the virus as far back as November. But the government made sure that the news did not spread." He feels that India's admiration for China and its economic might is misplaced as the Chinese government is merely inserting statistics to show its development.' -
Time Asia Magazine Criticises Thai Decision to Ban Falun Gong Meeting: "I Thought Thailand Meant "Land of the Free"
2003-05-08(March 2001) The article harshly criticised the decision as an act of persecution and pointed out that despite the countries pride in the fact that it has never been never colonised, its claims of independence in foreign policy, and its profession to be devoutly Buddhist, the government in Bangkok is allowing Beijing to dictate religious policy in Thailand. -
Sweden: Practitioners hold a Concert in the Exhibition Hall of Gothenburg University
2003-05-07A Chinese scholar told the practitioners with deep conviction, Its good that Falun Gong assists people in improving health. I stand on the side of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. This is opposite to falsehood, evil, and conflict. Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is good. Persecuting Falun Gong is totally wrong. -
Letter from the UK Falun Gong Association to the Chairman of the Bills Committee on National Security Regarding Article 23
2003-05-07"We urge the Hong Kong Legislative Council to protect the one country, two systems principle and uphold the civil liberties and basic freedoms in Hong Kong by dropping the decided-by-China approach to the proscription mechanism." -
FDI Press Release: Sweden Responds to China's Pressure on Thailand
2003-05-07As part of its worldwide campaign to persecute Falun Gong, the Chinese regime is exerting pressure on the Thai government to deport a Swedish Falun Gong practitioner living in Thailand. The Swedish Embassy in Thailand quickly demanded "an immediate explanation" from the Thai Foreign Ministry for this blatant violation of the human rights of an innocent Swedish citizen.