Yahoo News: On the Brink of War in Iraq, An American Held Hostage in China, And the Persecution of Chinese Families of Americans: Falun Gong

Press Release Source: Population Research Institute

Tuesday March 4, 2003

Population Research Institute Press Conference

Thursday, March 6, 2003 at 1:15 p.m.
Concerned Women for America's National Headquarters
1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100,
Washington, DC

WASHINGTON, March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Population Research Institute (PRI) will host a press conference at its Third Annual China Human Rights conference. The press conference, titled "An American Held Hostage in China, and the Persecution of Chinese Families of Americans: Falun Gong," takes place this Thursday, March 6, 2003, at 1:15 p.m. at Concerned Women for America's National Headquarters, at 1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC.

American citizen and Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Charles Li has been detained in China for the past 40 days under false charges and faces up to fifteen years in prison.

At the press conference, Mr. Li's fiance, Yeong-Ching Foo, along with Falun Gong spokespersons Erping Zhang and Gail Rachlin, will call on the U.S. State Department to fight for the release of Mr. Li.

In addition, Dr. Jingduan Young, MD, will address the media on Falun Gong's family rescue movement, as many Chinese families of American Falun Gong practitioners have also been imprisoned on false charges.

"The continuing and heightened targeting of American citizens, including Mr. Charles Li, and their relations in China is of grave concern and of international significance. On the brink of war in Iraq, what motives could China have in falsely imprisoning this American, and in persecuting Chinese families related to Americans?" asked Steven Mosher, president of conference host Population Research Institute. "The U.S. State Department must fight for the release of Mr. Charles Li, and for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong, especially those related to Americans."

From 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., March 6, during PRI's China Human Rights conference, Falun Gong practitioners will provide a current update of persecution of Falun Gong members in China.

This Friday at noon, March 7, 2003, hundreds of Falun Gong practitioners will rally in front of the U.S. State Department in Washington, DC, to call on the State Department to fight for the release of Mr. Li.

Population Research Institute
1190 Progress Drive, Suite 2D
P.O. Box 1559
Front Royal, VA 22630
http://www.pop.org