FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 28,2002

Quebec Woman Disappears in China:
Quebec Falun Gong practitioner is arrested by Chinese Authorities after peacefully protesting on Tiananmen Square

Quebec, May 29th, 2002 --- We believe, Mrs. Nicole Milot, 53 years old was arrested by the Chinese Authorities in Beijing. She went to China to protest peacefully on Tiananmen Square against the repressive measures taken by the Chinese government against the Falun Gong practitioners. At 2:00 o’clock p.m. Beijing time (Tuesday, 2:00 o’clock a.m. eastern time), she had intended to reach Tiananmen Square and unfold a banner, which read as follows: “Falun Dafa is Good! China needs Truth, Compassion and Tolerance”

At the moment, it is impossible to determine just where Mrs. Milot is, and even if she has in fact reached Tiananmen Square

Her friends and family are very worried for her safety. Mathieu Hodgson, another practitioner of Falun Gong of Québec City said: “Many Western practitioners have been mistreated whilst protesting in China. A young man had his nose broken and others have been victims of mental and physical abuse.”

In the past many Westerners have protested peacefully, mainly on Tiananmen Square against the long -term continuation of the persecution of Falun Gong. Nicole Milot’s protest is but the latest.

Mrs. Milot is a notary and practices in her cabinet in Beauport, Q.C. She is a mother and a grandmother. She has been practicing Falun Gong for more than 4 years now.

“China, as well as all of humanity needs Truth, Compassion and Tolerance,” said Mrs. Milot in a letter she addressed to her friends before she left. She also expressed the desire to make all people of Quebec society as well as the International Community aware of the severity of the persecution which is aimed at the Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Falun Gong is a cultivation practice of mind and body. Fearing that the practice of Falun Gong “ is winning the hearts of people and separating them from the (Communist) Party”, the Chinese President has put in place a campaign of repression against this spiritual practice. Practitioners peacefully oppose this persecution, which the International Community does not condone. According to the statistics of organisations who defend Human Rights, the death toll of Falun Gong practitioners in China, now reaches more than 400 who have died in police custody and dozens of thousands who are still incarcerated in labour camps and detention centres as well as psychiatric hospitals. Many suffer the abuse of torture by the police.