On August 6th 2004, at the 56th session of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, item 6:specific human rights issues, the representative of International Educational Development brought before the meeting the lawsuits filed by Falun Gong practitioners outside China and expressed her organisation's support for the action taken.

I heard that the major reason for not renewing the passport was because of an accusation that Wang Yong is against the Chinese government. I know Wang Yong well, and I can honestly tell you that he is definitely not against the Chinese government. What he is doing is just appealing to the Chinese government to stop the persecution of Falun Gong and for bringing the responsible criminals within the Chinese government to justice.

Graduate students from different European countries who have in mind to devote themselves to careers in human rights or become lawyers, came to Geneva to attend a UN Human Rights Committee Conference. They exhibited strong concern and sympathy for the Falun Gong issue and hearing about the persecution taking place in China touched them deeply.

This system equates to veritable economic slavery set up and maintained by the Chinese Government. It violates the Chinese Constitution and international laws such as International Labour Organisation Conventions Nos. 29 and 105 It encourages corruption, torture and organised crime (for 570 cases of death from torture in the camps, 24 per cent were Falun Gong practitioners).

Shaun is broadcasting student. At the beginning of August, he had the opportunity to gain experience filming the Military Tattoo and Cavalcade in Edinburgh. Falun Gong practitioners had also taken the opportunity of the events in Edinburgh to join the famous Cavalcade, wining first prize in the Community category for the third year running. A friend of Shaun's practises Falun Gong, so Shaun stayed with him and some other practitioners during his time in Edinburgh.

"Mr Yong Wang advised us concerning his Chinese passport extension rejection. We understand that he has not received, as of date, a written clarification concerning the denial of his right and freedom of travel. We view your actions concerning the revocation of Yong Wang’s citizenship without any clarification of due process, as a serious violation of human rights, given legal precedence and direct as well as indirect declarations of applicable UN Agreements."

"Purely for economic interests, enterprises of all sizes and foreign investors who are aware of the situation prefer to close their eyes. They do not consider the fact that they are making themselves accomplices of what well-known human rights lawyers consider one of the most serious situations of persecution and genocide currently existing, in terms both of its size and of the means used: slander, incitement to hatred, incitement to denounce, privation of all social, economic and cultural rights, torture and murder."

"We principally agree with the Concurrent Resolution 188 of the US Congress, which states that the government of the Republic of China should stop the senseless persecution of members of the Falun Gong movement – a traditional practice of mind and body improvement. Also, because that philosophy is based on truthfulness, goodness and mutual tolerance, without a doubt it positively influences the contentment of people, as well as the spiritual and physical health."

"Five years after the start of the persecution of Falun Gong, the repression of Falun Gong is escalating in China...The Society for Threatened People accuses the People’s Republic of China of blatant disregard for their constitutional guarantees of freedom of belief and for purposely criminalising a peaceful spiritual practice."

In January 2004, influenced by propaganda and under pressure from the Jiang regime, Paris police mistreated Falun Gong practitioners during Hu Jintao's visit to France. After the incident, practitioners clarified the facts to people at all levels in France, demanding that the relevant persons should take legal responsibility and make an apology. Recently, French MP Frank Marlin wrote back to practitioners. His complete reply is reproduced here.

In January 2004, influenced by the slanderous propaganda and under pressure from the Jiang regime, Paris police who were not aware of the facts mistreated Falun Gong practitioners. Recently, the First Secretary of the French Socialist Party and MP Mr Francois Hollande wrote to practitioners, saying that the Chairman of the Parliamentary Socialist Party has asked the MP responsible for Rights and Legal Affairs to take a look at this incident.

“I completely sympathise with you and understand your concerns regarding the treatment of David Liang. I have written to the South African High Commissioner, Linidiwe Mabuza, emphasising my concerns and I have called for a full investigation into the matter. I will be sure to keep you updated on future developments.”

"...right now, what western society can do is keep exerting pressure on the Chinese government, spread information as often as possible, call on all world organisations like the UN and all democratic countries, to criticise and to slam the persecution and those who are behind it. We could explain to China that the leaders are digging their own graves by resorting to violence."

"The car carrying the gunman did not stop. Liang, an Australian Falun Gong practitioner of Chinese decent was the only one shot at. He was the only one in the car wearing a jacket with the words “Falun Dafa.” This points to the conclusion that the shooting was a premeditated action against Falun Gong during the two officials’ visit. Zeng, Bo, and other high officials who have given orders in China that have resulted and still result in torture and death."

On the 26th of June 2004, United Nations International Day in Support of Torture Victims, Falun Gong practitioners in the Czech Republic held a press conference at Krizovnicke Square in Prague, to call for an end to the brutal campaign of torture waged against Falun Gong practitioners in China. The following is a statement of support sent to the press conference by Czech Member of Parliament Mr Petr Pleva.

On the International Day against Torture, June 26th, Olympic Watch calls on the government of the People’s Republic of China to stop the abhorrent practises of torture and ill-treatment throughout the PRC. We commemorate the victims of torture by the communist authorities in China, be it Falun Gong practitioners, political prisoners, or other people. Torture can never be excused and the People’s Republic of China has pledged to eradicate it by its ratification of the Convention against torture.

"The tragedy is that people don’t deal with their real enemies but are cruel to others who don’t harm them and are in fact just the opposite: those who believe in truthfulness, kindness and rational contemplation. Among such tragic manifestations is the persecution and torture of Falun Gong practitioners by the present Chinese Communist regime. I have come to understand the teachings of this movement, I think quite well, and I can hardly imagine what has caused the ruling regime’s hatred."

"On this occasion I want to express my support to persecuted Falun Gong practitioners in China, I want to praise their bravery and endurance. I also want to express my hope that the constant pressure by the world’s public opinion will finally force the representatives of the Chinese government to apply their Human Rights policy in accordance with the United Nations’ stipulations."

"For several long years now, the Chinese Government has undertaken a series of measures to put an end to the development of this practise. Even worse, President Jiang Zemin, head of Government at that time, was to make the decision to prohibit Falun Gong and to persecute its practitioners. From different reports, therefore, mainly from human rights organisations, it appears that there are hundreds of people who have been arrested and imprisoned, and who still remain locked up in forced labour camps."

"I felt the need to give and show my support to those who were victims of the persecution and torture, especially those who have suffered such tragedy in China...There are hundred of thousands that suffer hardship because of this...I’m here today to show my support and solidarity with those who publicise worldwide the torture and persecution of the Falun Gong practitioners in China."

On March 31st 2004, French senator Bernard Joly wrote a letter to the newly-appointed Minister of Internal Affairs Mr Dominique De Villepin about the mistreatment of Falun Gong practitioners by French policemen during the period of the Chinese chairman Hu Jintao’s visit on January the 26th 2004. In his response, Mr De Villepin promises to carry out a special investigation into the case.

"On Monday this week, a Falun Gong practitioner, David Liang, was driving from Johannesburg to Pretoria in South Africa, when his car came under gunfire from hitmen hired by Chinese officials eager to counteract the serving of legal papers against the two Chinese government officials, Vice President Zeng Qinghong, and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai."

UK MEP John Bowis on the 30th May 2004 signed a petition calling on the French authorities to retain liberty in France after he heard from a Falun Gong practitioner in his London constituency about how she was arrested at a Chinese/French jointly sponsored event after the Chinese authority applied pressure on France.

“I am writing as a European Parliamentary Friend of Falun Gong to protest the arrest and handcuffing of practitioners who were peacefully demonstrating in the Champs Elysees on Saturday 24th January. There are serious allegations that this was done at the request of the Chinese Embassy...I find the allegations of giving in to pressure from the Chinese authorities anxious to deny any platform to protesters during the parade deeply regrettable."

The infringements of the freedoms of speech, assembly and information are still rampant in China; since the latter half of 1990s, the number of those subjected to labour 're-education' and the death penalty has not decreased. Falun Gong practitioners, followers of Christianity, work union leaders and those who criticise the government on the Internet have been brutally persecuted, the report was cited as saying.

When the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Ireland in May, Falun Gong practitioners staged a peaceful appeal by practising exercises, and appealed for bringing Jiang Zemin, who is the driving force behind the persecution of Falun Gong, to justice. Meanwhile, practitioners called for the release of two practitioners from Liaoning province in China, Liu Feng and Yang Fang, and for their safe return to Ireland to continue their studies.

In January 2004, Jiang's regime, who are responsible for the brutal persecution of Falun Gong, lied to and exerted pressure on the French police who were blind to the truth. The police were instructed to harass Falun Gong practitioners. Thereafter, Falun Gong practitioners took the initiative to tell the truth to people at all levels of society, demanding those involved to admit administrative responsibility and apologise.

The seminar tour of Scandinavia regarding the current human rights situation in China was in Finland, on Thursday May the 13th 2004. Separate hearings organised by the Finnish Parliament's human rights group and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were held successfully in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. A news briefing for the media was also held. Speakers included Falun Gong practitioner Ms Jane Dai from Australia and the executive director of the Association for Asian Research, Mr. Erping Zhang,

I called my classmate in China just now, and was told that one of my best friends was imprisoned and eventually tortured to death simply because of practicing Falun Gong. I am not a Falun Gong practitioner, and don't have much knowledge of Falun Gong. But I do know my best friend very well, he was a truly righteous and honest person. I really cannot understand and rationalise why China would even regard having a belief as illegal. I feel really very sorry about it. My beloved motherland, when can we have true freedom?

Amnesty International released its annual report on human rights status across the world on May the 26th 2004. This report outlines the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, including the rising death toll. It also portrays details of the death of a practitioner from Jilin Province who was beaten to death by prison inmates who were instructed to do so by the prison officials.

The twenty-four hour peaceful appeal at the Chinese Embassy in London by UK Dafa practitioners has lasted more than seven hundred days now. During these trying days, we have personally experienced the change in the surrounding environment as our cultivation progresses. The following stories tell the change in people’s hearts after they learnt the facts about Falun Gong and continue to remind us of our honour and responsibility as Dafa practitioners.

The Norwegian Parliament was the venue for a seminar on the human rights situation in China. It was hosted by Parliament members and co-arranged by the Norwegian Falun Dafa Association. Many parliament members and representatives from human rights organisations and persecuted groups attended the seminar.

On May the 12th 2004, Swedish MPs from five parties jointly held a seminar in parliament on human rights in China. This seminar aroused great interest from MPs, the media and human rights organisations, as well as the persecuted groups in China. This is the first time that a seminar on Human Rights in China was jointly held by MPs from five parties in Sweden .

"The uniformed police took these people to the Paris fourth police station for an identity and security check when they were about to go into the metro station near the city government square. This lady pointed out that the search was carried out in a very rude manner and that they did not do anything to justify this action. She thinks that they were arrested simply because they were wearing yellow scarves with Falun Gong symbols."

"Is the [Prime Minister] aware of the various methods used to persecute the Falun Gong in China: rape, gang rape, throwing stripped female practitioners into male prison cells, using electric batons to shock practitioners' sensitive body parts, imprisonment in water cells where the practitioners are immersed in dirty water with no light, stretching and tying practitioners' limbs to the four corners of a metal bed?"

"The government takes seriously the concern about human rights in China, including those of Falun Dafa members...Through the dialogue, the EU shares with China its experience in the field of human rights protection and promotion, and urges China to improve the human rights situation generally, and more specifically with respect freedoms of expression, religion and belief, which have a particular impact on individual practitioners of Falun Dafa."

"Amongst my favourite possessions is a book of “Chinese Proverbs” which I often quote to colleagues and audiences. The plight of the two young students reminds me of the proverb:- Confucius, Spring and Autumn Period: “Do not worry if others do not understand you, worry if you do not understand them” I would be very appreciative if you could use your influence, to have what ever restraints prevent these students returning to Ireland lifted."

"The issue of the treatment in China of followers of Falun Dafa has been raised both bilaterally and through the formal framework of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, which was established in 1996. Through the Dialogue, the EU shares with China its experience in the field of human rights protection and promotion, and urges China to take clear steps to improve the human rights situation generally, and more specifically with respect to the freedoms of expression, religion and belief, which have a particular impact on individual practitioners of Falun Dafa."

Falun Dafa practitioners in Slovakia sent petition letters to Mayors of villages in the country asking for their support in calling for an end to the persecution of innocent people who practise Falun Gong in China. Mayors of four villages in Slovakia responded to the letter and signed the petition demanding an immediate end to the persecution and severe torture of practitioners of Falun Gong in China.

The Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) said that he raised the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the suppression of the Falun Gong spiritual movement during a two-hour meeting with Mr Wen, who is on a two-day state visit to Ireland. "For decades China refused to engage at all with the various human rights bodies," he said. "They have now agreed to do so, which is a considerable achievement and they were responding to a request, not a request that I thought up, but a request that human rights bodies have asked us to do.

"The French police arrested about fifty Falun Gong supporters on January 24th-25th, 2004, in Paris. It appears as if the French authorities acted on the demands from communist China (PRC). What steps will the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers take to ensure the freedom of speech, freedom to wear yellow scarves, and freedom to express religious and political opinion publicly even for Falun Gong supporters in France?"

On May the 20th, 2004, a Falun Gong practitioner attended a meeting held by the UK Amnesty International working group in Huddersfield. At the meeting, the practitioner explained the facts about Falun Gong to four Amnesty members and showed them a truth-clarification video. When talking about Jiang’s genocide policy against Falun Gong, one of the members appeared to be shocked deeply. The head of this Amnesty International working group expressed his support for Falun Gong, and his wish to do something to rescue Falun Gong practitioners.

According to a European Report (EU/China) on May 15th, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said on May 12th, after meeting Chinese Premier Wen Jaibao, that he raised the issues of the suppression of the Falun Gong spiritual movement and other human rights violations during a two-hour meeting with Mr. Wen, who was on a two-day state visit to Ireland.

A British MEP, Kris Davis, wrote to Falun Gong practitioners about a letter he sent to the French government, which stated, “France, please uphold freedom". This letter refers to when the French government, under pressure from China, arrested Falun Gong practitioners distributing flyers on the streets, because the flyers exposed the brutal persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Prague, March 19th 2004 – On the occasion of Falun Dafa Day, Olympic Watch (Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games in a Free and Democratic Country) has issued a statement today, condemning religious persecution in the People’s Republic of China. Olympic Watch was established in Prague in 2001. Its mission is to monitor the human rights situation in China in the run-up to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and to campaign to achieve improvements in the lives of the people of China.

On the 30th of April 2004, UK member of the European Parliament Chris Davies wrote to Falun Gong practitioners in his constituency and enclosed a signed petition, which states the he "deeply regrets that the French government bowed to Chinese pressure, acted against the French values of liberty, equality, fraternity and arbitrarily arrested peaceful people who in no way had disburbed public order."

Belgian Amnesty International issued a statement on the Chinese premier’s visit to Belgium and the EU China trade forum. The statement especially pointed out that the International Amnesty requests the Chinese government to conduct a thorough, fair and independent investigation into the already verified deaths of Falun Gong practitioners in detention centres, reports on Falun Gong practitioners being subjected to torture during detention periods and brutally persecuted.

"For more than four years, in China, Falun Gong practitioners have been the target of a campaign of terror and genocide led by the ex-Party chief Jiang Zemin – more than 900 have been tortured to death, more than 100,000 incarcerated in forced labour camps without trial, thousands have been forced into psychiatric hospitals; women, children and the elderly are not spared. Jiang Zemin is being sued for torture, genocide and crimes against humanity in North America, Asia and Europe."

"It looks like as if the reason for those people being arrested is because they were wearing yellow, a colour that is associated with Falun Gong. Many instances of this kind of interrogation were filmed and it is possible that the filming will be shown in China so as to prove the legitimisation of the persecution against this group of people. He wished to know the cause of these incidents and to have a reasonable explanation regarding the qualifications for these measures."

In January 2004, under pressure and deceit from Jiang’s regime, who are cruelly persecuting Falun Gong, the French police strayed from the truth and harassed Falun Gong practitioners in Paris. After the incident, Falun Gong practitioners enthusiastically clarified the truth to people from all levels of society, demanding that the responsible people take the legal burden and apologise to Falun Gong practitioners.