Germany: Politicians Send Letters of Support as Falun Gong Practitioners Rally to Protest 24-Year-Long Persecution

(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners held a rally in Munich on July 15, 2023, to commemorate the 24th anniversary of peacefully protesting the persecution in China, and to call on the German government and the public to pay attention to the CCP’s (Chinese Communist Party) crimes and help end the persecution. The event received letters of support from several members of the German Parliament, state legislators, and dignitaries. Hubert Körper, head of China affairs at the German International Society for Human Rights, was present to support it, calling on Germany to work together to stop the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.

Practitioners held a rally on July 15, 2023, in Marienplatz in front of the Munich City Hall.

Hubert Körper, head of China affairs at the German Society for Human Rights, calls on German society to work together to stop the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.

The rally attracted many people.

People talk to practitioners about Falun Gong.

People sign a petition in support of Falun Gong practitioners against the persecution.

Practitioners started the day’s events in Marienplatz at 10 a.m. by doing the Falun Gong exercises and giving waist drum performances. The practitioners displayed banners such as “Falun Dafa Is Good,” “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,” “Stop the Persecution,” and “Uphold Justice.” A group of female practitioners dressed in white held photos of practitioners who were persecuted to death by the CCP.

After learning how the CCP persecutes Falun Gong, many people signed the petition to end the persecution.

Practitioner Calls for the Release of His Father

Falun Gong practitioner Ding Lebin calls for his persecuted parents to be rescued.

Ding Lebin recounted how his parents were illegally arrested by the Chinese Communist authorities on May 12, 2023. For more than two months, he has appealed to the international community to help rescue his parents.

A number of members from the European Parliament, the German parliament and the Berlin state parliament, as well as human rights organizations such as the International Society for Human Rights, have sent letters to the Chinese ambassador in Germany, Wu Ken, the secretary of the Shandong Provincial Party Committee, Lin Wu, and the CCP head of the Rizhao City, Zhang Hui, demanding that the persecution of Ding Lebin’s father Ding Yuande and mother Ma Ruimei be stopped immediately.

German Politicians Condemn the CCP’s Persecution of Falun Gong

Twelve German parliamentarians, state legislators, and other dignitaries issued statements condemning the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and urging the CCP to immediately stop persecuting Falun Gong.

Top row (left to right): Bernhard Seidenath, CSU, member of the Bavarian state parliament and press spokesman for the CSU; Dr. Michel Meister, member of the German Bundestag and CDU; Astrid Rothe-Beinlich, Grüne, member of the Thüringen state parliament and chair of the Green Party’s parliamentary group; and Martina Feldmayer, Grüne, member of the Hessian Green Party

Center row (left to right): Dr. Gülistan Yüksel, SPD, member of the German Bundestag and SPD and Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group on legal matters in the Bundestag; Günter Krings (CDU), German Bundestag; CDU member Sabine Weis; and Deputy Speaker of the Hessian State Parliament and Green Party member Karin Müller, Grüne

Lower row (left to right): Asgar Can, President of the European Uyghur Association; Jürgen Braun, AfD, Member of Parliament and Human Rights Spokesperson for the AfD; Heiko Kasseckert (CDU), Member of the German Bundestag; and AfD Parliamentary Financial Policy Speaker Kay Gottschalk

Twelve German parliamentarians, state legislators, and other dignitaries sent letters to Falun Gong practitioners condemning the CCP and urging the CCP to immediately stop the persecution of Falun Gong. Some parliamentarians also praised practitioners for their principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and expressed respect for Falun Gong.

MP: I Have Deep Respect for Falun Gong

Dr. Günter Krings, a member of the German Bundestag, the chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group on legal matters, and the chairman of the CDU-Westphalia regional caucus wrote, “We cannot stay out of the situation when many people’s lives are negatively affected and families are torn apart.

“Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a cultivation method based on Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Falun Gong emphasizes the cultivation of moral values such as honesty, kindness, tolerance, and selflessness. Practitioners strive to purify their minds, discard negative traits, and cultivate a positive mindset. Falun Gong is seen by many around the world as a holistic practice that promotes health, spiritual growth, and inner peace.

“As a Christian, I have great respect for that.”

MP: Let the Communist Specter Collapse

Jürgen Braun, a member of parliament for the AfD and spokesman for human rights, issued a statement on the persecution of Falun Gong.

“In the persecution of the peaceful, non-political Falun Gong movement, the CCP leadership has shown totalitarian, brutal, and paranoid characteristics, and has unscrupulously pursued its ideology.

“Let us collectively hope that the specter of communism, which still haunts Asia, will collapse under the weight of its own machine, and most importantly in a peaceful manner. In this way, dear Falun Gong practitioners, many including you, will not continue to suffer from it.”

MP: We Stand with Falun Gong Practitioners

Dr. Michael Meister, a member of the German Bundestag, said in his statement, “We stand with minorities who are persecuted, detained and re-educated, with people of faith, and with Falun Gong practitioners.

“We call on China to respect the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the human rights conventions it has signed.” He added, “China must end its persecution of the peaceful meditation movement Falun Gong and finally respect the rights of all ethnic minorities.”

Member of Congress: The CCP Must Be Sanctioned More Severely

Sabine Weiss (CDU), a member of the German Bundestag and CDU, wrote in her letter: “I think it is imperative to adopt a clearer policy in our dealings with China. It is important that human rights violations be raised and sanctioned more severely than before.”

MP: The Issue of Live Organ Harvesting Should Be Raised in Every Dialogue with the CCP

Kay Gottschalk, a member of the German Bundestag and spokesman for financial policy in the AfD parliament, said in her letter, “In May 2022, the EU Parliament passed a resolution calling for the CCP’s live organ harvesting and human rights issues to be raised in every human rights dialogue, and for the Chinese government to be more transparent and cooperate with international investigative bodies.”

MP: The Persecution of Falun Gong Is a Serious Violation of Human Rights Standards

Gülistan Yüksel (SPD), a member of the German Bundestag and SPD, wrote, “China should fully comply with the World Health Organization’s requirements for transparency and traceability in organ procurement. Together with the European Union, we advocate for the promotion of and respect for universal human rights, democracy and the rule of law worldwide. In our relationship with China, we are also committed to these values.”

Hessian Parliamentarian: End the CCP’s Persecution of Falun Gong

Deputy Speaker of the Hesse State Parliament, Karin Müller, Councillor Martina Feldmayer, and Councilman Heiko Kasseckert sent a joint statement entitled “End the CCP’s 24-year persecution of Falun Gong.”

The statement said:

“We urgently urge the Chinese government to:

Respect international standards and the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which China has signed.

Immediately stop the persecution of Falun Gong in China and unconditionally release Mr. Ding Yuande and all Falun Gong practitioners imprisoned.”

Thuringian State Councilor: We Must Draw Attention to These Human Rights Violations

Astrid Rothe-Beinlich, a state lawmaker from Thüringen and chair of the Green Party’s parliamentary group, said in her letter, “The persecution of Falun Gong is also an attack on the fundamental principle of freedom of religion and belief. It is our responsibility to put an end to such behavior. There must be no silence, but a loud voice to draw attention to these human rights violations and to stand up for their freedom and dignity.”

Bavarian State Legislator: Human Rights Are Indivisible

In his letter Bernhard Seidenath, a spokesman for CSU in Bavaria, Bavarian State Legislator, said horrific reports of the deaths of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners showed that suspicions of systematic, involuntary organ harvesting remained. “I reiterate the European Parliament’s call for China and independent observers to conduct a full investigation into the matter,” he said.

President of the European Uyghur Association: We Must Fight and Resist Together

Asgar Can, the president of the European Uyghur Association, mentioned in his speech that the CCP is committing crimes against Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Mongolians. The human rights and dignity of these groups are being trampled upon. Uyghurs and Falun Gong practitioners have been arbitrarily arrested, tortured, and raped in prison, and had their organs forcibly harvested and sold.

Mr. Kan also said, “We must fight and resist together against the inhumane regime of the CCP. I call on the German government and the Bavarian state government to achieve that there is no trade without human rights, and not do things at the expense of persecuted groups and peoples.”

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

Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) 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 24 years. 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.