Geneva, Thursday 20 March 2003
For the third time this week, Falun Gong practitioners appealed at the Palais des Nations against the persecution of Falun Gong in China. At least 700 practitioners attended the peaceful event in front of the United Nations building. Representatives from different organizations voiced their support and condemned the extremely serious human rights violations presently taking place in China. This appeal followed news reports of 38 Falun Gong practitioners being tortured to death in China in the past 12 days.
John Law, President of WOIPFG, reading a press statement from Attorney Terri E. Marsh |
In a speech at the press conference, the President of the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, John Law, said that their mission was to investigate the criminal conduct of all institutions, organizations, and individuals involved in the persecution of Falun Gong, no matter how long it takes and no matter how far and deep they have to search, in order to restore and uphold justice.
Commenting on Charles Li, an American Citizen and Falun Gong practitioner who was arrested and faces imprisonment because he is a Falun Gong practitioner, Mr. Law said, "Those who persecute Falun Gong are living above the law. This trial that will take place only a few hours from now, will mark a new dark chapter in Jiang's oppression of Falun Gong. He and the Chinese [regime] are telling the world that they have no respect for their own laws or international law, and they are telling us that they are willing to put any of the world's citizens on trial illegally."
Mr. Law stressed that the trial of Charles Li is not a matter for just one citizen from one country but concerns all of the world's people, and he called upon everyone to respond with a strong voice of condemnation.