LONDON [UKFGIC]– John Robinson MP, the Labour representative of Glasgow, Anniesland will be speaking at a press conference at College Green outside the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA at 5pm on Wednesday 9th March 2005. Following the press conference he will be handing in “Rescue our Families” petition forms with signatures totalling about 15,000 to an evening parliamentary session in the House of Commons. John Robinson’s constituent Mrs YuYu Williamson, a Falun Gong practitioner and local Anniesland resident, collected the petition forms from across the UK so that the MP could hand them in to the House of Commons on her behalf.

The “Rescue our Families” petitions are asking the Government for the rescue of seven friends and family members of UK Chinese residents who are being persecuted in China for practising Falun Gong. The spiritual practice was banned by the Chinese Communist Party in 1999 because of its huge popularity. Falun Gong, based on truthfulness, compassion and tolerance, has caught the attention of the Scottish people with the many efforts made by local practitioners to raise awareness of the persecution; activities include teaching the five simple exercises and meditation to Scottish schoolchildren, holding free exercise classes, an ongoing peaceful protest outside the Chinese Consulate in Edinburgh and joining the Edinburgh Arts festivals held at Easter and in August.

Mr Robertson’s London office was only too pleased to schedule the petition and press conference to assist Mrs Williamson in raising awareness and to provide moral support in the bid to call for the end of the persecution.

Help Rescue our Family members at: http://www.faluninfo.net/familyrescue.asp

NEWS – March 09, 2005
Falun Gong Information Centre (UK), More contacts. www.clearharmony.net

Background

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about), is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance.” Practised in over 60 countries world-wide, Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture. With government estimates of as many as 100 million practising Falun Gong in China, China’s then-Communist leader, Jiang Zemin, outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999 (report). Since that time, Jiang’s regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practise it. The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of 1455 deaths (reports) since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. In October 2001, however, Government officials inside China reported that the actual death toll was well over 1,600. Expert sources now estimate that figure to be much higher. Hundreds of thousands have been detained, with more than 100,000 being sentenced to forced labour camps, typically without trial.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN GONG INFORMATION CENTRE [UK] – Peter Jauhal + 44 (0) 7739 172 452, Helen Chantry +44 (0) 7761 808057
Email: europe@falungonginfo.net