The Epoch Times: Charles Lee Regains Freedom, Exposes Persecution of Falun Gong (Photos)

Jan 24, 2006

People from all over come to welcome Charles Lee home. (The Epoch Times)

SAN FRANCISCO - Charles Lee's return to San Francisco on the morning of January 21 received much attention from the media and sparked an impassioned welcome from people from all circles. Lee said that for the past three years, all channels for appealing his situation were blocked by the CCP and he was deprived of his basic rights. He said that the whole world needs to know the truth about the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. 

Charles Lee seemed a little thin but quite energetic. When seeing friends he had not seen for years, Lee thanked everyone and was very moved because during his incarceration, so many fellow practitioners, righteous people, and the U.S. government had helped him to survive the persecution. 

After enduring three years of torture in a mainland Chinese prison, Lee said his feelings upon his return to the United States were quite complicated. On one hand, he was happy that he had regained his freedom, returned home, and could now live a free life, but on the other hand, he knew that in mainland China, Falun Gong practitioners are still suffering severe persecution and torture. He called on people to support Falun Gong practitioners and hopes that mainland China can one day have freedom of belief. 

San Francisco media interviewing Charles Lee (The Epoch Times)

Lee: The World Needs to Know the Truth of the Persecution of Falun Gong 

Commenting on his detention by the CCP, Lee said, "This was absolutely unlawful. Over the past three years, I continued to appeal and underwent nine hunger strikes for a total of 50 days. They didn't give me any opportunity to speak. Early on I wrote a declaration, but they didn't allow me to send it out." 

He reiterated that the truth of the persecution of Falun Gong should be known by the whole world. At the same time, (we) should wake up Chinese people and let them know the preciousness of freedom. 

Talking about his experience in the prison, Lee said that eight to ten prisoners watched him in turn. They were forbidden to talk to him. If he practiced the Falun Gong exercises, these people would immediately pounce on him. The CCP tried to torture him to death. At one point he developed an acute heart condition. 

The CCP tortured Lee not only physically, but also mentally. "The CCP's persecution of me was completely unlawful." He said, "They have many means, besides forcing me to watch materials that slander Falun Gong and Chinese Central TV's propaganda every day. The books I read and notes I wrote were all confiscated." 

Lee also said that when his mother was ill, the CCP used reduction of sentence as an incentive and schemed to use his love of his mother to intimidate him into accepting their unlawful verdict. Later, his mother, who could no longer bear the fact that her son was being persecuted, passed away bitterly. Even then, the CCP still stopped him from seeing his mother for the last time. 

Fu Yongqing welcomes Charles Lee home at the airport. (The Epoch Times)

Lee said that the CCP "stopped at nothing" to torture Falun Gong practitioners, and their methods were "very secretive." Lee said that he would continue to appeal. 

When asked what he missed most about the United States during his detention, Lee answered, "True freedom." 

When a reporter asked him what he would like to say to his fiancée Fu Yongqing, he smiled and said, "When I was in the prison, I really missed her." 

Fu Yongqing Thanks All Who Cared for Charles Lee 

Fu Yongqing said she feels proud of Charles Lee, as what he did was righteous. He risked his life to go back to China, not for himself, but for the Falun Gong practitioners who were persecuted in mainland China, and to stop the persecution. Fu Yongqing thanked all the people who cared for and supported Lee, including the media, U.S. Congress and different levels of government. 

Representatives of Amnesty International welcoming Charles Lee at the airport. (The Epoch Times)

Representatives of Amnesty International Welcome Charles Lee 

Jeffrey Shurtleff, Cody Grundy and other representatives of Amnesty International who constantly monitored Lee's situation, also came to the airport to welcome him home. During the past three years, they continued their mission to rescue Lee. They hugged him and gave him a T-shirt with the Amnesty International logo. Jeffrey Shurtleff said that AI sought to protect human rights regardless of where they are under threat. AI is particularly concerned about the situation of Falun Gong practitioners and constantly pressures the CCP to immediately stop the persecution. 

Over 100 San Franciscan Falun Gong practitioners arrived at the airport in the early morning and held banners at the customs exit, which caught the attention of some of the passing travelers. Some people held cameras and cell phones to take photos. After learning of Lee's detention, a traveler immediately videotaped this precious scene. 

http://english.epochtimes.com/news/6-1-24/37284.html