Canada: Montreal Practitioners Report that Mr. Lin Mingli Has Been Released After His Illegal Forced Labour Term Expired

According to the news from Montreal, On March 26 (Shanghai time), Mr. Lin Mingli was released and returned home after serving two years of an illegally imposed forced Labour term for practising Falun Gong.

On March 24, 2003, Falun Gong practitioners in Montreal, Canada held a press conference, requesting the Chinese government to release Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Lin Mingli, who was detained at the No. 3 Forced Labour Camp in Shanghai.

A press conference	Over 3000 signatures collected on a large piece of cloth

Montreal resident and Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Lin Shenli, who had recently been successfully rescued from the same forced Labour camp in Shanghai City last year, recounted his ordeal when he was detained for two years. He said, "I'm very concerned about my brother's situation. It was reported that he was force-fed which caused his oesophagus to become lacerated and he was unable to eat anything. Compared to him, I was very fortunate to be rescued through the joint efforts of my wife in Canada and the Canadian government and people, so I could come here and appeal for the rescue of my brother. But compared with countless Falun Gong practitioners who are suffering persecution, my brother is fortunate, as he is one of the 13 persecuted family members that the Canadian Parliament passed a resolution to try to rescue. Every appeal and every effort from abroad played an important role in reducing the persecution of my brother, and helping him to regain his freedom."

He also said, "Tomorrow, March 26, (Shanghai time), will be the day when my brother's two-year forced Labour term concludes. Hereby, I demand Shanghai authorities to immediately and unconditionally release my brother--Lin Mingli, and return his freedom."

At the press conference, the practitioners displayed a large piece of cloth with over 3000 signatures collected by Montreal practitioners that had been sent to the UN Commission on Human Rights meeting, appealing to the international community to help stop Chinese authorities killing of Falun Gong practitioners. As of today, a total of 641 practitioners are confirmed to have died due to the persecution.