Charles and his friends at the airport

Amnesty International has been actively involved in efforts to rescue Charles Lee. A representative of AI welcomes Charles at the airport

On the first weekend immediately after the New Year, the temperature dropped drastically as a cold front swept through Switzerland. Despite the severe cold, many Swiss Falun Gong practitioners left their warm homes and gathered in Winterhur to hold an anti-torture exhibition. They intended to expose the brutal persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese communist regime.

At the center of the activity was an information desk where materials and newspapers in various languages were available. On one side of the desk were demonstration diagrams of the Falun Gong exercises and photos showing Falun Gong's spread throughout the world. On the other side were photos of practitioners tortured by the Chinese communist regime, depictions of the various forms of torture. Finally, various torture methods were reenacted by actual Falun Gong practitioners.

"I strongly believe Falun Gong is good"

After viewing the exhibition for a while, a middle-aged man said, "I strongly believe Falun Gong is a good way for cultivation. The reason is very simple: if Falun Gong is not good, how could it be accepted by so many countries and so many people within such a short time? It has to be good such that people are glad to accept it."

"This is too brutal and it goes against humanity"

People were shocked by photos of practitioners tortured by the Chinese communist regime, and were moved by the simulated torture methods. Practitioners provided additional explanations: "The torture we are reenacting here shows people imprisoned in a steel cage. The cage is so small that people cannot move freely inside it. More than one hundred ways have been used to torture Falun Gong practitioners. What you see now is just one of them. Up to now, there have been more than 2,800 confirmed deaths caused by the persecution, but this number represents merely the tip of the iceberg. In history, which country or political party has ever imposed such a brutal suppression on its own citizens: torture, beatings and injection of drugs that damage the neurological system? Sexual assaults and group rapes have taken place against female practitioners."

Listening to the practitioners' explanations, members of the public exclaimed, "This is too brutal! It goes completely against humanity. This is totally unacceptable!"

"I support Falun Gong. I wish you success"

A Swiss woman told us that she lived in China for more than a year. She knew there are no human rights or freedom in China. She was aware that the poverty gap between the impoverished public and the rich bureaucrats is huge. Referring to practitioners' introduction, she commented, "I fully believe what you said. The Chinese communist regime persecutes Falun Gong and beats good people to death." Her husband came over and joined the conversation after looking at the information boards. He said, "What you have done [to expose the persecution] is very good. It is admirable!"

Expressing their concern to the practitioner who sat in the steel cage reenacting the torture, they said, "It has been a tough task for you. The weather is so cold." The practitioner replied, "This is almost nothing when compared with the suffering of the practitioners persecuted by the Chinese communist regime." The practitioner continued, "In cold winter, the police in China torture and shock Falun Gong practitioners with electric batons, leave them outdoors and pour cold water on them." The Swiss woman held the practitioner's hand and said in a sad tone, "I support Falun Gong. I wish you success." Upon leaving, they took leaflets and warmly bid the practitioners goodbye.

A bag of sweets

After listening to the persecution and signing their names, a group of women took some leaflets and left. A while later they came back. When they saw that the practitioner was still sitting quietly in the steel cage, they gave a bag of sweets they bought to the practitioner and urged him take some to keep warm. The practitioner expressed gratefulness for their kindness and passed it to a young practitioner who had come to support the activities with her mother.

"I would like to invite you to explain the persecution in our office"

After learning that Falun Gong practitioners cultivate themselves according to "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance," but suffer cruel persecution in China, a gentleman who owns an employment agency expressed his sympathy. He indicated his resentment against the perpetrators and pointed his finger at the photo of Jiang Zemin [former Chinese leader, the instigator of the persecution], saying, "This guy is so bad. You ought to shoot him."

The practitioners told him that Falun Gong practitioners had no enemies. Ever since the persecution started, Falun Gong practitioners have been urging Jiang to behave compassionately and offered him opportunities to rectify his situation. Just like the activities held today, practitioners always insist on peaceful, rational demonstrations, so that the world can help stop the persecution after learning how Falun Gong has been unreasonably and illegally persecuted. When the compassionate people in the world know about how the Chinese communist regime violates international conventions and tramples on human rights, and when the evil nature of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is exposed to them, people will provide help to Falun Gong practitioners. They will see to it that Jiang stands trial at an international tribunal and they will support the millions of Chinese people who have resigned from the CCP. The evil CCP will collapse by itself and the persecution will come to an end.

During the conversation, passers-by came to sign their names and ask for information. Some of them took several leaflets with them, planning to give them to their friends. The business owner left his business card, saying, "What you said and are doing is very good. I would like to invite you to our office next Friday to explain the persecution."

Falun Gong practitioners are invited for an interview at a radio station

After reading the information boards and listening to practitioners' explanation about the the persecution, a reporter from a Swiss radio station invited the practitioners for an interview at the radio station the following week. He said, "We plan to broadcast an interview about the persecution that Falun Gong has been suffering."

The activities lasted for seven hours in the wintry weather. Knowing that a lot more people now understand the truth, the happiness in the practitioners' hearts dispelled the cold and tiredness.