(Minghui.org) More than 2,000 residents in Chenzhou, Hunan Province, signed a petition to demand an immediate release of imprisoned Falun Dafa practitioners in 2012. An additional 2,269 locals have also signed the petition this year, bringing the total to over 4,000 signatures.

Showcasing bravery in the face of the ruthless dictatorship governing China today, these people signed their names, and even added fingerprints, to appeal for Falun Dafa practitioners’ release and to demand bringing the perpetrators involved in the persecution to justice.

More than 2,000 Chenzhou residents signed the petition to rescue Falun Dafa practitioners in 2012.

In 2013, 2,269 Chenzhou residents signed the petition.

The Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners has angered many citizens in Chenzhou. Many people expressed strong support for Falun Dafa and condemned the regime's corruption and crimes while signing the petition. Below are a few examples.

Policeman: “I've arrested more than 20 practitioners, but immediately let them go.”

One day, as I was explaining the facts about Falun Dafa and the persecution to several people, a middle-aged man suddenly said: “Do you know who I am?”

I smiled at him and replied: “I am collecting signatures. Why don’t you also sign? Good intent will bring you blessings. I can tell you are a good man.”

He said: “How do you know that I'm good? I can make 2,000 yuan in cash as a reward for arresting a Falun Dafa practitioner.”

I told him: “You look like a kind person. There is no way you'd do that.”

He looked at me in surprise and said: “How do you know that? I've arrested more than 20 practitioners, but immediately let them go.”

We had a long conversation, and I clarified the facts about Falun Dafa to him further. Finally, he signed the petition. He had been a Party member for many years and asked me to help him quit. He took some flyers from me, told me to be careful, and thanked me for my help before he left.

Passerby: Communist officials “ignore theft and robbery, but focus on arresting good people.”

As I approached one man to sign the petition, he told me: “You are still young, why bother practicing Falun Dafa? With the government’s ban in place, aren't you afraid of being arrested? You should stop practicing for your own safety.”

Another man overheard him and said: “I know many Falun Dafa practitioners. They are all good people. One person had leukemia and had spent a fortune on medicine, but to no avail. However, he was cured after practicing Falun Dafa. Another practitioner found a bag with nearly 100,000 yuan in cash. He looked for the owner and returned all of the money. The communist officials have nothing better to do; they ignore theft and robbery, but focus on arresting good people. Let me sign this.”

The first man was touched. I continued to tell him more about Falun Dafa. Finally, he agreed to quit the Party and left with some informational flyers.

Young Man: “I thought the law protects freedom of belief!”

When I asked a recent high school graduate to sign the petition, he was surprised to hear about the persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners. The Chinese communist regime has taken great measures to deceive the public and defame Falun Dafa. Due to its control of all media, including TV and Internet, Chinese citizens have been bombarded with incessant propaganda, while having no access to the truth.

“Really? They arrest people for practicing Falun Dafa and refuse to release them?” asked the young man in disbelief. “I thought the law protects freedom of belief!”

I replied: “Yes, the law says we have freedom of belief, but the Communist Party has no regard for the law. Falun Dafa has spread to more than 100 countries. All of these countries have praised and given proclamations to Falun Dafa’s founder, Master Li. However, the communist regime has banned the practice and even harvests organs from practitioners.”

The young man said, “That's so horrible!” He signed the petition and agreed to quit the Party's youth leagues (the Communist Youth League and Young Pioneers).

Wife: “Could you please talk to my husband?”

A lady in her 50s took a Shen Yun Performing Arts DVD from me. A few days later, when I passed by her house, she invited me in.

She said: “You are a great person. Although we did not know each other, you gave me such a beautiful DVD. Could you please talk to my husband?”

I agreed and talked to her husband about Falun Dafa and the grassroots movement to quit the Party. Since he was a government official he was reluctant to listen.

I patiently talked to him about the Party’s corruption and its persecution of good people, while rewarding the bad people. Soon he agreed with me and quit the Party. He also signed his name on the petition.

Government Official: “The Communist Party is the worst, simply too cruel!”

One day I was talking to four people in a park about the petition and quitting the Party. All four agreed to sign and quit.

An old man nearby saw this and also signed the petition. He even wrote his cell phone number on the petition.

I asked him if he was a Party member. He said: “Someone tried to convince me to join years ago. The Communist Party is the worst. I would never join it.”

He then loudly exclaimed in front of several people: “I know several Falun Dafa practitioners, and they are all good people. The Communist Party is the worst, simply too cruel!”

I helped him to renounce his past association with the Party's youth leagues. He thanked me repeatedly and left his business card. As it turned out, he was a government official, a retired military instructor, an editor and a professor.

Employee: “Now that the manager has signed, I will sign, too.”

I once persuaded a relative to sign the petition. She used a nickname. Shortly after that, she was promoted to become a manager.

Later, when I was talking to someone else about the petition and this person was reluctant to sign it, this manager intervened and said: “I was like you and wanted no trouble. I finally signed with a nickname, and soon I got a promotion. Now I've become more successful and have good fortune in everything I do.”

The manager then signed the petition with her real name and a fingerprint. The other person said: “Now that the manager has signed, I will sign, too.”

Elderly Man: “What you are doing is the greatest thing.”

One day I visited a manager’s home. When she saw me, she exclaimed: “Falun Dafa is great! Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is great!” She told more than 20 relatives in the house, “Falun Dafa practitioners are good people, and they are very kind.”

I said: “Our Master has taught us to be good people. Therefore, practitioners emphasize moral principles, and many have regained their health through the practice. The Party is arresting good people, and it even harvests practitioners’ organs for profit. I am collecting signatures to rescue good people. Please consider signing the petition.”

Everyone signed, except for one man. He said: “I work for the government, so it would be difficult for me to sign this. But I know Falun Dafa practitioners are all great people, very kind.”

An elderly man gave me a thumbs-up and said: “You are indeed a good person. What you are doing is the greatest thing. Only a great master can have great disciples. I also want to learn Falun Dafa—can you teach me?” I told him that any practitioner would be happy to teach him. I also gave him a copy of Zhuan Falun.

He was very pleased and thanked me repeatedly. I told him to thank Master Li.

Cases of Persecution in Chenzhou

Below are a few of the published cases of persecution against Falun Dafa practitioners in Chenzhou, Hunan Province:

Liao Zhijun Brutally Tortured in Chenzhou Detention Center and Jinshi Prison Ms. Guo Boqin and Her Mother Died from Ruthless Persecution: Appeals Court Overturns Lower Court Decision but Gives Falun Gong Practitioner Same 3-Year Sentence Anyway People of Hunan Angry with Police Over the Suspicious Sudden Death of a Falun Gong Practitioner