International Society for Human Rights Passes a Resolution Demanding China to Immediately Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong

On April 6 2003, the German-based International Society for Human Rights (IGFM) proposed the following resolution:

The government of the People’s Republic of China ignores human rights. Since the beginning of the communist party’s rule over the country, millions of people have been charged with political crimes and have been illegally persecuted, arrested, sentenced and even tortured to death. To date, over ten thousand citizens have been detained in prisons, detention centres, labour camps, and re-education classes, because the Chinese government has labelled them political enemies and subsequently persecuted them. Apart from individual dissidents, opposing party members, and those who criticise the government, the Chinese government also persecutes groups, citizens and movements

Falun Gong is one of the movements being persecuted. In 1999, the Chinese government labelled it an “[slanderous term omitted]” and outlawed it. Falun Gong is a peaceful and non-violent cultivation method to cultivate one’s body and mind; there are millions of people inside and outside China practising Falun Gong. To protest against the arrest, constant surveillance, torture and killing of Falun Gong practitioners in China, German Falun Gong practitioners visited Tiananmen Square in Beijing in November 2001 to appeal for Falun Gong for the first time, protesting courageously against these injustices. IGFM is proud of these practitioners who took part in the demonstrations. Since then, IGFM has also participated in several demonstrations with Falun Gong practitioners. However, the Chinese government has also made efforts to impose pressure on Falun Gong practitioners in Germany and other countries, and its actions have not yet been stopped.

Because of the continued persecution of Falun Gong, the German-based International Society for Human Rights passed the following resolution:

Respecting human dignity and equality, and guaranteeing human rights are the foundations of world freedom, justice and peace. To demand China to respect basic human rights is not to interfere with the domestic affairs of the People’s Republic of China. Freedoms of belief and expression are enshrined in China’s constitution. Besides, the People’s Republic of China has signed the UN Convention against Torture and is obliged to respect the articles contained within.

Similarly, members of IGFM have previously attended a meeting in Koenigstein on April 6 2003 and have verified the most serious human rights violations in China that have been both tolerated and encouraged by the Chinese government.

• To date, there have already been 641 people tortured to death. (April 4 2003)


• Hundreds of thousands of people have been unlawfully arrested and imprisoned.


• Hundreds of thousands of people have been sent to labour camps and re-education classes without any legal procedure; without the professional aid of lawyers, 500 of them have been sentenced, with sentences of 18 years imprisonment being handed down in some instances.


• Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to attend re-education classes in detention centres or their work units.


• Over 1,000 healthy practitioners have been sent to psychiatric hospitals and were administered various nerve-damaging and life-threatening psychotropic drugs, which could end their lives.


• The Chinese government is using illegal behaviour to cover up its violations of the law. For example, corpses are cremated, investigation into deaths are not allowed, and the government claims that those tortured to death have committed suicide or have died of natural causes.

The International Society for Human Rights has verified that:

• The Chinese government has launched a comprehensive persecution of Falun Gong. Government officials and police are inflicting this persecution with no legal basis. The persecution penetrates all classes and political life in China.


• The state-run media in China is using deceitful lies and manufacturing stories to slander Falun Gong and mislead the people. This is to turn public opinion against Falun Gong.


• In particular, women are subjected to sexual violence, gang rape, sexual harassment and forced abortion.

The International Society for Human Rights has been informed that:

• The Chinese government is attempting to extend its persecution of Falun Gong overseas by pressuring foreign governments. Incidents during Jiang Zemin’s visits to Germany, Russia, Iceland and the Baltic nations can serve as evidence of Jiang’s evil purpose.

As a result, The International Society for Human Rights supports:

• The resolution passed by the European Parliament on the 15th February 2001 and Resolution 188 passed by the US House of Representatives on the 24th July 2002, which request the Chinese government to immediately stop the persecution of Falun Gong.

Members of the German-based International Society for Human Rights request the German Federal Government to:

First, use every possible approach to urge the People’s Republic of China to immediately release all unlawfully detained Falun Gong practitioners, and to stop the torture and brutal, inhumane, and undignified methods inflicted on those unwilling to give up their belief.

• Pay respect to the human rights enshrined in China’s constitution and guarantee Falun Gong practitioners the permission to act according to their conscience.


• Obey the UN Convention Against Torture and punish the persecutors.

Second, stop Chinese nationals, who are also Falun Gong practitioners, from being deported back to China.

Third, take appropriate measures against the Chinese government, diplomatic staff, and secret agents who are illegally interfering with and harassing German citizens as well as those with residency permits, who practise Falun Gong.

Fourth, form a strategy for the Human Rights Committee in Geneva so that all western countries can cooperate together.

Fifth, urge the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to investigate violations of human rights, such as the “self-immolation” incident on Tiananmen Square, January 23 2001 and the situations inside Beijing’s Tuanhe Labour Camp and the re-education classes in the former Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Guangzhou.

Koenigstein City, April 6 2003
Meeting of German-based International Society for Human Rights

Translated from Chinese at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200304/19709.html