Letter from WOIPFG on Ms. Lin Lili's case in the U.K.

February 27, 2003

Via Fax: [phone]

Right Honorable David Blunkett MP

Secretary of State for the Home Department

Re: Ms. Lin Lili

Home Office Reference No. L1053356

Dear Secretary Blunkett:

I am counsel to the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong ("WOIPFG"). WOIPFG is dedicated to protecting the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners around the world, to investigate and expose violations of those rights, and to restore and uphold justice in society.

As has been reported, Ms. Lin Lili, a citizen of the People's Republic of China and Falun Gong practitioner, is being held at Owington Detention Centre awaiting deportation to China scheduled for 7 March 2003. As more fully detailed below, WOIPFG is asking for your assistance in (i) enjoining the deportation, and (ii) furthering Ms. Lin's application for political asylum. The relevant facts are as follows:

In October 2001, Ms. Lin applied for political asylum¹ to the Home Office in Manchester. In April 2002, after her marriage to Jinfei Zhang, a doctoral candidate at Liverpool University and also a Falun Gong practitioner, Ms. Lin moved from Manchester to Liverpool. There, she continued her spiritual practices and became a volunteer at a free exercise class. In compliance with regulations, she duly informed the Home Office of the change of address and reported in person on a regular basis.

The Home Office declined to proceed favorably with Ms. Lin's asylum application citing, among other things, a lack of hard evidence that the persecution of practitioners is severe in Fujian provinceLin's hometown. WOIPFG respectfully disagrees with the finding, and asserts that there is ample evidence that establishes the severity of the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in Fujian. Please refer to this web site for details: http://media.minghui.org/gb/d-stats/death_namelist_province.htm#Fujian.²

Notification of the denial of Ms. Lin's application was mailed to her former address in Manchester.á Unaware of the existence of the notification because she had long since moved to Liverpool, Ms. Lin failed to appeal the denial in a timely fashion subjecting her to deportation. As was her usual practice, on 26 February, Ms. Lin dutifully reported to the Home Office in Liverpool whereupon she was restrained, denied food and water, and held incommunicado. She was finally allowed to contact her husband the following morning. This treatment pales in comparison to what lies in store for Ms. Lin upon her return to China particularly since she is pregnant and does not want to give birth in prison.

Although efforts are underway to secure legal representation for Ms. Lin, we implore you as a representative of Her Majesty's government, to delay deportation in the interest of justice and compassion. Once counsel presents Ms. Lin's case, I am confident that her application for asylum will be granted.

Thank you for your attention to this most important matter.

Very truly yours,

Stewart L. Weisman, Esq.

SLW/sw

cc: Distribution List

á

DISTRIBUTION LIST

1) Prime Minister Tony Blair
Fax: [phone]

2) Ms Beverley Hughes MP
Minister for Citizenship and Immigration
Fax: [phone]

3) Ms Jane Kennedy MP
Liverpool, Wavertree
E-mail: [e-mail]

4) Sir Christopher Meyer, KCMG
HM Ambassador to the United States
Fax: [phone] Chancery

5) Mr. George Fergusson
HM Consul-General British Consulate-General, Boston
Fax: [phone]

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¹ Ms. Lin rightly fearing the likely prospect of forced labor, torture, and even death if returned to China. See: Human Rights Watch, "Dangerous Meditation -- China's Campaign Against Falungong" at: http://hrw.org/reports/2002/china/

² Additional summaries of confirmed deaths by Province can be viewed at: http://media.minghui.org/gb/d-stats/province_en.htm