Germany: Letter to the U.S. Embassy from the German Falun Dafa Association Regarding the Arrest of Dr. Charles Li in China

U.S. Embassy
Attn.: His Excellency
Ambassador Daniel R. Coats
Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5
10117 Berlin

Your Excellency, Ambassador Daniel R. Coats:

We are writing to share with you our deepest concerns about the arrest of Dr. Charles Li in China. Dr. Li, as a Falun Gong practitioner, may face a lengthy prison term.

Dr. Li, a U.S. citizen, was arrested on his arrival in China, at the Guangzhou Municipal Airport, on January 22 2003. He is presently being held at the Yangzhou Detention Centre in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, where he is under investigation for the alleged crime of sabotaging television and / or radio broadcasts.

Dr. Li declared his innocence during a face-to-face visit with the representative from the American consulate: "I did not commit any crimes (...). I am treated as a political prisoner because I am a Falun Gong practitioner."

Since July 1999, the beginning of the persecution of Falun Gong, approximately 500 Falun Gong practitioners were sentenced to long prison terms during mock trials. Chinese attorneys were advised, "to be in line with the central governments position." Thus it is impossible to receive adequate legal counsel.

We request that you do your utmost to help an innocent citizen of your country be released immediately. He cannot be arbitrarily deprived of his freedom due to political insecurities.

Sincerely yours,

Member of the Board
German Dafa Association

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