Persecution Continues 12 Years After 10,000-Strong Appeal

In Europe, Asia and the United States over the weekend, Falun Gong practitioners marked the 12th anniversary of the largest peaceful demonstration in China in 20 years. That demonstration, on April 25, 1999, was followed three months later by a violent crackdown—when the Chinese Communist Party launched a campaign to arrest and torture Falun Gong practitioners.

On Saturday, practitioners like Xu Yan in Brussels used the anniversary to call for an end to the ongoing persecution.

[Xu Yan, Falun Gong Practitioner]:
"Many Falun Gong practitioners are still being persecuted, and this in fact poses a test of conscience for people everywhere."

Back on April 25th, 1999, more than ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners gathered near the Communist Party leadership compound in Beijing. A few days earlier, police had arrested dozens of practitioners in nearby Tianjin—because they appealed against state-run media articles that slandered their spiritual practice. When other practitioners called for their release, local authorities told them to appeal in Beijing. So they did.

[Jiao Guobiao, Former Beijing University Professor]:
"I saw them on that day. When I was at work, I saw a lot of people standing against walls. Some were standing, others were sitting. There were no slogans. No one held up banners. It was peaceful and rational."

During the appeal, five practitioners met with then-premier Zhu Rongji. They asked for a lawful environment to continue their practice.

[Zan Aizhong, Former Chinese Journalist]:
"Zhu Rongji met with Falun Gong practitioners on April 25, 1999. This meeting showed goodwill towards Falun Gong. The freedom of belief, freedom of association and freedom of speech should be protected. Zhu's meeting with Falun Gong practitioners demonstrates they did not violate any laws or the constitution."

The April 25th appeal ended peacefully, after Zhu seemed to reach a resolution with Falun Gong practitioners. But the leader of the Communist Party at the time—Jiang Zemin—declared war against the spiritual practice. A few months later, the communist regime launched an extensive persecution—one that continues today. The Falun Dafa Information Center has documented more than three thousand deaths from abuse and torture.

But for these Falun Gong practitioners around the world—there's hope. Hope that by raising awareness, the persecution will end soon.