(Clearwisdom.net) Czech President Vaclav Klaus visited China on April 7, 2004. Before the visit, Czech Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference outside of the president's office on Hradcanske Square. The event was to draw attention to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China and appeal to the president to begin a dialogue with the Chinese Government's representatives on the topic of human rights.

Members of Parliament asked President Klaus to express support for Falun Gong practitioners during his visit to China. Tania Fischerová, independent M.P. of the Czech Republic, and Svatopluk Karasek, Member of Parliament of the Czech Republic, stated in the appeal,

"We join the appeals to stop the persecution of Falun Gong members and other prisoners of conscience in China and call on the president, to unambiguously express support to these people."

On the day of the press conference, Falun Gong practitioners were invited to BBC radio. Listeners could hear a live broadcast about Falun Gong and the persecution in China. Practitioners stated that there is genocide taking place in China against 100 million innocent people who practice Falun Gong, a system emphasizing the values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. A practitioner also brought attention to the fact that the Chinese government puts great amounts of financial resources into the persecution of Falun Gong and expressed an opinion that for this reason it is not morally correct to do business with China at this time.

A reporter and photographer from the Czech Press Agency CTK came to the press conference. A reporter from the magazine Novy Prostor, who is aware of cruelty and scope of the persecution of Falun Gong, also came and offered to the other reporter a copy of their magazine that reported on the persecution of Falun Gong in detail. She told the other reporter that he may find the information in the article useful.

Local policemen were very interested in the event outside of the Prague Castle and asked for information. They learned about Falun Gong and what is taking place in China and were very shocked by the attitude of the Chinese government.