(Clearwisdom.net) Slovakia is a landlocked country in Central Europe. During the fifth century, Slavs settled here. In 1918, the Czechoslovakia Republic was established after Austria-Hungary was dismantled, and in 1948, the Communist Party took power. A multi-party parliamentary democracy and diversified political system was set up in 1989. The Slovak Republic became an independent sovereign state in 1993, and a member of the European Union in 2004.

The Books Falun Gong and Zhuan Falun are Published in Slovak

Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) was introduced to the public in China in May 1992 and brought to Slovakia in July 2001. On January 15, 2004, the book Falun Gong was published in Slovak in Bratislava, the capital, and distributed in bookstores all over the country. In March 2005, Zhuan Falun in Slovak was published. Falun Gong has now been embraced in over 100 countries and areas worldwide, benefitting more than one hundred million people both in mind and health. Zhuan Falun has been translated into more than 20 languages.

On January 15, 2004, Falun Gong in Slovak was published in Bratislava and distributed in bookshops nationwide

Zhuan Falun in Slovak was published in March 2005

People living in free countries have come to understand the truth about the persecution, after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) initiated the persecution of Falun Gong in 1999, because Falun Gong practitioners have spread the facts and protested the persecution around the world. Christianity has deep roots in Slovakia. Because some Christians are also being persecuted in China, Slovaks are sympathetic towards innocent Falun Gong practitioners, who believe in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, being brutally persecuted. Having experienced four decades of communist rule, the people of Slovakia are well aware of the evil nature of the Communist Party.

After learning the facts, many media in Slovakia have exposed the CCP's lies and criminal behavior, which has helped spread the facts about the persecution of Falun Gong locally. After learning what is actually going on, government officials, members of parliament, and the general public have expressed their support for practitioners and condemned the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.

Government Officials and MPs Condemn the Persecution

Practitioners wrote letters to MPs in Slovakia in 2004, and to the mayors of many cities, clarifying the fact about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong. Many mayors and local government officials signed the petition protesting the persecution of Falun Gong. In their letters of reply, MPs Albert Sandor and Gabaniova Darina said, “I am clearly condemning Jiang's faction’s brutal treatment and persecution of Falun Gong.” and “The human rights of Falun Gong practitioners will be looked into. Slovakia and many other democratic countries, groups, and politicians will call for an end to the persecution in China.”

Mayors of many cities signed the petition condemning the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong

Since the atrocity of the CCP harvesting vital organs from living Falun Gong practitioners was exposed, the practitioners in Slovakia have written letters to the mayors of every city and town. On April 13, 2006, in his reply letter, Mayor Nova Ves of Spisska, in eastern Slovakia, condemned the CCP’s cruel torture of Falun Gong practitioners. The mayor stated in his letter, “Not long ago, we also suffered an an authoritarian party’s rule, persecution, imprisonment, deprivation of freedom and human dignity, torture, and even killing. It is for these reasons that having read your letter and testimony and the description of the brutal torture of the Falun Gong believers, I strongly condemn the CCP’s behavior and along with other human rights activists, call for the CCP leaders to stop the brutal torture and killing of innocent people.”

Nova Ves, mayor of Spisska, in eastern Slovakia on April 13, 2006, condemns the CCP’s crime of harvesting vital organs from living Falun Gong practitioners

On July 20, 2010, members of the Slovak Parliament and the deputy prime minister met with the Falun Gong practitioners and listened to the personal experiences of those who had suffered under the persecution in China for not giving up practicing Falun Gong. The lawmakers expressed their support for Falun Gong and their opposition to the persecution. The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament said that he himself had been a reporter and would write articles in support of Falun Gong after their meeting.

Mr. Ondrej Dostai, deputy chairman of the Human Rights Commission of the Parliament, said that the Slovak government should call on the Chinese government to stop the persecution of Falun Gong and ensure that the Chinese people have human rights. The vice premier in charge of Slovak Human Rights and Minority Affairs said that he had visited China as a Culture Minister and expressed his protest against the persecution of Falun Gong. He promised that he would call for the CCP to stop the persecution of Falun Gong during future bilateral dialogues with China and the International Forum.

Mainstream Media Pays Attention to the Persecution of Falun Gong

In October 2005, the Slovak magazine Harmony carried a report on Falun Gong. It introduced the principles of Falun Gong, described the exercises and emblem, told how rapidly the practice had spread throughout China, and laid bare the persecution of Falun Gong launched by the Jiang Zemin regime.

The Slovakia magazine Harmony carried a report on Falun Gong.

On March 24, 2006, Slovakian Falun Gong practitioners held activities protesting the CCP’s brutal crimes of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners in China. TA3 TV, which covers the whole of Slovakia and can also be viewed outside the country through satellite, covered the event and interviewed practitioners. More Slovak people became aware of the CCP’s brutal crimes through TA3 TV reports.

On July 15, 2006, Slovak practitioners exposed the CCP’s crimes of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners and calling for public attention. A Slovak TV reporter interviewed the practitioners in a report broadcast nationwide on the evening news.

On October 27, 2007, a Slovak TV reporter interviewed practitioners and reported the facts of the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong and the public support for Falun Gong

On June 19, 2009, when CCP leader Hu Jintao visited the capital of Bratislava, practitioners held an Information Day exposing the CCP’s ten-year-long brutal persecution of Falun Gong and called for an end to the persecution. During the event, some CCP secret agents used force to try to stop the practitioners from spreading the facts, a ploy widely publicized by the country's mainstream media.

Slovakia mainstream media interviewed practitioners after CCP secret agents used force to try to stop them from spreading of the facts

Many Sign Petition to Support Falun Gong

For over ten years, Falun Gong practitioners in Slovakia have been clarifying the truth to the government and media by displaying panels and banners, distributing leaflets, and holding Information Days, candlelight vigils, demonstrations against torture, and press conferences. After learning about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong, people from cities and towns, big or small, have signed the petition to support Falun Gong and protest the persecution.

On World Human Rights Day December 10, 2004, people in the capital sign to condemn the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong

On January 29, 2005, the people of the town of Seneca sign a petition calling for an end to the persecution and wishing the Falun Gong practitioners success

On June 11, 2005, citizens of the western city of Malacky sign to protest the persecution

The people of Slovakia sign petition to oppose the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong