(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners held a rally in front of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco on November 3, demanding the immediate release of Falun Dafa practitioners Ms. Kong Qingping and Mr. Huang Yongchang who are detained in China for their spiritual belief. Both of these practitioners have children living in the United States, who spoke on their behalf at the rally.

Rally in front of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco on November 3

Ms. Zhao Chen, a local Falun Dafa representative, addressed the rally and said that two people were seized during the 20^th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). She stated, “During this period, many practitioners were harassed and arrested for no reason. Even elderly practitioners are targeted.”

Ms. Liu Zhitong, Ms. Kong Qingping’s daughter, said that she is so concerned about her mother’s safety that she hasn’t been able to sleep. She choked up several times while she spoke at the rally. Ms. Liu said that she learned of her mother’s arrest through a family member. Her mother was taken away on October 22, and she is detained in the Yaojia Detention Center in Dalian City. Her family have not been allowed to visit.

Ms. Liu Zhitong holds a photo of her mother. The board reads, “Immediately release my mother Kong Qingping.” 

Ms. Liu said that her mother was diagnosed with serious sepsis in 2004. She already had more than twelve diseases and her health deteriorated further. Out of desperation, and encouraged by her family, Ms. Kong began to practice Falun Dafa. 

“It was amazing that within less than a month after my mother started practicing, her health improved significantly,” Ms. Liu said. “Her symptoms disappeared. The relationship between my parents became harmonious.

“What’s even more unexpected is that the rash on my mother’s face disappeared. Her complexion became rosy. Everyone was amazed and happy for her when they saw her amazing changes.” 

Ms. Liu said that Falun Dafa teaches people to live according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. After people begin practicing Falun Dafa, their health and morality improve. She said that her mother’s positive changes are one of the best examples of the positive benefits of Falun Dafa.

Mr. Huang Changyu, a resident of the Bay Area, said that his mother came to the United States to take care of his newborn son, and his father, Mr. Huang Yongchang, lived alone at home in Beijing. He was forcibly taken away by the CCP authorities.

“It's been 23 days, and I haven't been able to communicate with my father. The CCP does not allow family members to visit him,” Mr. Huang said.

Mr. Huang Changyu addresses the rally while holding a display board worded “Immediately release my father Huang Yongchang.” 

Mr. Huang Changyu’s father, Mr. Huang Yongchang, is a retired professor from the Institute of Theoretical Physics at Beijing University of Technology. He started practicing Falun Dafa in 1995 and his health and temper improved. He no longer needed eyeglasses, and he became kinder toward his son.

Mr. Huang said that his father worked for more than 20 years and trained more than 30 masters and doctoral students. However, since the CCP began persecuting Falun Dafa in 1999, his father was arrested three times and his promotion to full professor was delayed for six years. Despite his difficult situation, he always helped his graduate students.

Both Ms. Liu and Mr. Huang said that they would do their best to secure the release of their parents. They are planning to meet with their congressional representatives to ask for their help.

Ms. Chen Zhenbo, a Bay Area resident, requests the immediate release of her practitioner friend Ms. Hou Baoqin. 

Ms. Chen Zhenbo, who also lives in the Bay Area, demanded that the CCP immediately release her friend Ms. Hou Baoqin, a Falun Dafa practitioner who is also imprisoned for her belief.

Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?

Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and have learned the five exercises, have experienced improved health and well-being.

Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology and on July 20, 1999, he issued an order to eradicate the practice.

Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 23 years, though due to the difficulty in getting information out of China, the actual number is believed to be much higher. Countless practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.

There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.