(Minghui.org) The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), a human rights organization in Göttingen, Germany, and the Kinemathek theater in Karlsruhe, Germany, organized a screening of the award-winning documentary film Letter from Masanjia on January 15, 2025. The film exposes the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 25-year-long persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

Mr. Burkhard Gauly, Chairman of the Board of Directors of STP, and theater manager Mr. Marc Teuscher were in attendance. They invited local Falun Gong practitioner Ding Lebin to participate in the event as a guest of honor. He told the audience about the cruel persecution his parents suffered in China for practicing Falun Gong and condemned the CCP’s ongoing systematic persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.　

Promotional poster for the film

The theater also released information about the documentary through its official website and social media to encourage people to learn about and help stop the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

Speaking up for Falun Gong

Mr. Gauly said, “We have been committed to defending the human rights of threatened and persecuted groups for many years. We knew years ago that the CCP was persecuting Falun Gong. For us, speaking up for Falun Gong practitioners is a matter of course.

“Our society’s mission is to stand up for those who are persecuted for their beliefs. To us, working to stop the CCP’s continued persecution of Falun Gong practitioners is the right thing to do.”

Audience Admires Practitioners’ Tenacity and Courage

After watching the award-winning documentary, lawyer and tax consultant Anselm Schmidt said, “I must say that this movie left a very deep impression on me, not only because it was the first time I’d heard about Falun Gong, but also because this movie made me clearly see the extremely cruel persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Communist Party, including wanton suppression, torture, and killing. I admire the extraordinary courage shown by the protagonists in the documentary.

“I don’t know much about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong, but I will learn more. It is important that people here take action, such as contacting Members of Parliament to tell them about it and writing protest letters to the Chinese Embassy.”

Organizers Condemn the CCP’s Infiltration

During preparations to show the film, organizers Mr. Gauly of STP and theater manager Mr. Teuscher learned that, over the past six months, the CCP has intensified its transnational suppression and espionage activities targeting overseas Falun Gong, and has incited Western media to launch a propaganda war to intensify the persecution of Falun Gong.

In order to ensure the safety of the audience at the screening, Mr. Teuscher contacted the criminal investigation bureau of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and obtained their support.

Mr. Gauly emphasized in an interview, “We are very clear that for many years, the Chinese communist government has attempted to exert its influence in Germany and Europe and carry out transnational suppression activities here.”

He told the audience, “Almost a year ago, the European Parliament passed an emergency resolution condemning the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong and requesting the EU and its member states impose sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. The adoption of the resolution is a key step and is also encouraging.

“The CCP is systematically violating the human rights of the Chinese people in an extremely intolerable way. The EU and EU member states should take the CCP, such an authoritarian regime, very seriously and should continue to urge the CCP regime to immediately release all those who are being persecuted.”