On June 1, Falun Gong practitioners from the greater New York area gathered in front of the Chinese consulate in New York to urgently call upon people in all walks of life to help rescue Dr. Charles Li.
Dr. Charles Li was arrested at Guangzhou airport in January when he returned home to visit his family and was imprisoned in China after being ushered through a "show trial" in March for allegedly "preparing" to tap into Chinese state-run T.V. and broadcast programs exposing the persecution of Falun Gong in China. To protest his illegal detention by the Chinese regime, the persecution of Falun Gong in general, and the unlawful treatment he has received from prison guards and officials, and the fact that Nanjing Prison officials removed the 8 pages from an affidavit he prepared that contained specifics of his request to become a plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit against former Chinese leader, Jiang Zemin, Dr. Li initiated the hunger strike on May 27. A U.S. official said that the Chinese government is "completely responsible" for Dr. Li's well-being.
Practitioners appealed in light rain in front of New York's Chinese consulate. A press conference was held at 1pm. A representative of the practitioners pointed out, "The U.S. government and the American people are watching this case closely and seriously and it is an undisputed fact that many Falun Gong practitioners have been killed as a result of force feeding while on hunger strikes in Chinese prisons and labour camps.
Many of the pedestrians and drivers passing the areas expressed concerns on the matter.
Charles Li has been on hunger strike since May 27. Practitioners around the world have initiated an urgent appeal to rescue Charles Li and persecuted Falun Gong practitioners, and to bring Jiang to justice.
On May 31 from 2 to 4 pm, practitioners gathered in front of the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles to support US citizen Charles Li who is illegally jailed in China.
American citizen and Falun Gong practitioner Dr. Charles Li, who is being held in a Chinese prison, began a hunger strike on May 27 to peacefully protest severe human rights violations. Houston Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference in front of the Chinese consulate on June 2 from 12am to 1 pm urgently calling for help rescuing Charles Li. Houston News TV and NTD TV attended the press conference and interviewed practitioners.
Dr. Charles Li was arrested in Guangzhou airport when he returned home to visit his family and was imprisoned in China after being ushered through a "show trial" in March for allegedly "preparing" to tap into Chinese state-run T.V. and broadcast programs exposing the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Dr. Li initiated the hunger strike for three reasons:
1. His illegal detention by the Chinese regime.
2. The Chinese regime's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
3. The unlawful treatment he has received from prison guards and officials.
Officials at the Nanjing Prison where Dr. Li is being held have denied him all contact with his fiancée, Ms. Yeong-ching Foo. Chinese officials have also refused to allow U.S. consulate representatives to visit him. While imprisoned, Dr. Li wrote a 96 page document to the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai. According to a U.S. consulate official, however, Nanjing Prison officials removed 8 pages out of the document that contained specific information regarding Dr. Li's request to become a plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit against former Chinese leader, Jiang Zemin, which was filed in U.S. District Court in October, 2002.
At the press conference, Houston 24 Hour News TV Station and NTD TV interviewed practitioners. Practitioners told the reporters the story of Charles Li's illegal arrest and the crimes Jiang's regime has committed in its brutal persecution of Falun Gong.
Sunday June 1, 2003 was the fifth day of Charles Li's hunger strike protest. Charles Li is an American Citizen and Falun Gong practitioner, who was illegally imprisoned in China. To rescue him, greater Philadelphia area Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference at 1:30pm at a famous tourism site, the Liberty Bell. Practitioners demanded the Chinese government to release Charles Li immediately, and to release Ms. Yang Jinfang, the elder sister of Dr. Yang Jingduan (from Jefferson Hospital), and thousands of other practitioners being illegally detained.
Charles Li, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment after a show trial, is on a hunger strike. Charles protests for three points:
- Protest for the illegal detention by Chinese government
- Protest the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners from Chinese government
- Protest Nanjing Prison officials and Yangzhou city officials illegally withheld his personal books of Falun Gong and Falun Gong documents his fiancée passed to him through American Consul. He further protests that the Chinese government removed eight pages of affidavits he prepared for the American Consulate.
The visitors were very surprised that the Chinese government illegally imprisoned an American doctor. Some of them talked to our practitioners for a long time and wanted to learn the exercises. Some stated that they would write to the President Bush and the State Department asking the government to help rescue Charles Li.
In October 2002, during Jiang's visit to America, a group of Falun Gong practitioners sued him, and the "610 office" under his lead, for crimes of genocide, torture and crimes against humanity. Every Falun Gong practitioner can be a plaintiff to this lawsuit and bring this criminal of history to justice. The eight pages of materials removed from Charles' affidavit was about suing Jiang and related officials. The confiscation of the materials again showed that Jiang's Regime was trying all means to interfere with this lawsuit, but the scales of justice cannot be swayed by Jiang's Regime. The criminals will be brought to justice in the end.
On June 2, a Bring Jiang to Justice and Free Charles Li Photo Exhibition was held in front of Auckland city hall, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
San Francisco Bay area Falun Gong practitioners from Auckland and San Jose participated in the photo exhibition. The exhibition was comprised of three parts: Part 1 Falun Dafa Hao; Part 2 Bring Jiang to Justice; Part 3 Strongly demand release of Charles Li. The photo exhibition attracted many people. From time to time praises of Falun Dafa by visitors were heard. Many people expressed their indignation toward the evil persecution.
Some westerners greeted practitioners in Chinese. One said, "I just could not figure out why Jiang would persecute good people like you." A practitioner said, "He was so afraid that if there were more good people that follow truth compassion and tolerance, it will threaten him." They said, "Is he still human?! ...." They happily signed their names on the signature boards. Practitioners gave them information on bringing Jiang to justice before they left.
UC Berkley Radio, NTD TV, Epochtimes and other media came to take interviews.
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