After Two Years of Suffering, Dafa Practitioner Zhao Ming Returns to Ireland Safely on the Night of March 23

(Clearwisdom.net) At 8:40 p.m., on March 23, Dafa practitioner Zhao Ming arrived at Dublin Airport after more than two years of detention in China. Zhao Ming thanked all the Dafa practitioners and kindhearted people in the world for their concern and support.

In March 1999, Zhao Ming enrolled in the Master's program in Computer Science at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. During the Christmas season in the same year, he went back to China, calling on the Chinese government to stop the irrational persecution of Falun Gong. He was then illegally detained. In May 2000, he was sent to Tuanhe Forced Labor Camp in Daxing County, Beijing. Under pressure from the international community, Zhao Ming was released on March 12, 2002.

Zhao Ming's health was severely damaged during the two years of detention. It has been verified that Zhao Ming was frequently tortured with brutal beatings, electric shocks, hard labor, and forced brainwashing. In addition, he was asked to give up his belief in Falun Dafa. However, Zhao Ming was able to face all these tortures with strong righteous thoughts.

Zhao Ming's release is the outcome of a collective effort of various organizations of the international community. Ireland Falun Dafa Association herein wishes to thank all the people who have helped Zhao Ming regain his freedom - great thanks go to the Provost of Trinity College, Professor John Hegarty and other lecturers, Graduate Student Union (including Elizabeth Drew, Jim Dowling, Brian MacSharry, etc.), Student Union, and the Friends of Zhao Ming. We also wish to thank the Irish government, President Mary McAleese, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen, the Irish Senate and all the Senators, the Irish Parliament and all the members. We also thank the UK government, the Houses of Lords and Commons, Lord Moyne, the International Secretariat of Amnesty International, Amnesty International Irish Section, Amnesty International Dublin Central Group, Amnesty International groups in different regions, and Director Mary Lawlor and members of Frontline Human Rights Defenders. Genuine thanks go to Ms. Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, European Parliament and many of its members, other European governments, and other kind-hearted people whose names we may or may not know.