08/27/2001

Prague, 26 August: Three young people, surrounded by photographs of a police action against meditating people in China and of people jailed because of practising Falun Gong meditation, staged a silent protest outside the Chinese embassy in Prague today. The protesters offered information leaflets and a petition against human rights violation in China and persecution of people practising the meditation method.

Falun Gong has been known since antiquity. Its fame was restored in China in 1992 and it soon attracted some 70 million people. It emphasizes truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. After a peaceful [demonstration] of 10,000 Falun Gong followers in Beijing in 1999, the Chinese government outlawed the method and started to persecute its followers.

Falun Gong followers meet in different countries to appeal to governments to condemn the persecution in China. Falun Gong supporters have staged protests in Prague earlier this month. They have also protested in other towns in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia.