Sofia, Bulgaria: Peaceful Protest Outside Chinese Embassy Marks 25 Years Since the April 25 Appeal

(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria on April 25, 2024, to mark the 25th anniversary of the April 25 Appeal in Beijing through a peaceful protest.

Despite the cold and rainy weather, practitioners from different parts of the country came to the capital to recall the importance of protecting fundamental human rights and the courage of those who defend them.

Bulgarian practitioners commemorated April 25 Appeal 1999 on April 25, 2024 in front of the Chinese Embassy in Sofia.

Practitioners meditate near the Chinese Embassy.

Practitioners placed informational materials and banners along the sidewalk opposite the embassy with the words in Chinese, English, and Bulgarian: “Stop the Forced Organ Harvesting from Living People,” “Falun Dafa is Good,” and “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.”

Public Support of Falun Gong

The practitioners set up on James Boucher Boulevard and conversed with passersby who were interested in what they were doing. They handed out leaflets with information on the April 25 Appeal, along with the persecution of Falun Gong that started three months later, in July 1999.

Passersby take fliers from a practitioner.

The leaflets explained the nature of the April 25 protest, about how 10,000 practitioners gathered in front of the Beijing Appeals Office after 45 of their fellows were arbitrarily arrested for their faith. The practitioners in Beijing on that day stood quietly and in an orderly manner, remaining calm and courteous to the policemen and passersby—a manner now emulated by practitioners around the world.

The cars on the street also slowed down to read the writing on practitioners’ banners, and a tram driver even stopped her tram to ask the practitioners about their event. They explained and gave her a leaflet.

Practitioners hand leaflets to the tram-driver.

The three Bulgarian policemen on duty for the event showed their silent support for practitioners, having worked with them before. In previous events, police officers have accepted informational materials from the practitioners to learn about the situation.

The Significance of this Day to Practitioners

For the practitioners who were present on April 25 in Sofia, this date was an important benchmark in tracking how attitudes toward Falun Dafa have evolved within their country.

Dimitar Terzov is a practitioner from the town of Pazardzhik, and has practiced since 2010. Although he did not hear about the April 25 Appeal before he began practicing Falun Dafa, he feels that over the years, more and more Bulgarians have a deeper understanding of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Dafa, and what Falun Dafa is. Most Bulgarians are “sympathetic” and “positive” about the practitioners standing up against the persecution.

Dimitar Terzov

Regarding the demonstrations held on April 25 to commemorate the one in 1999, he said that he feels enthusiastic and at the same time sad about the ongoing persecution and torture that practitioners are subjected to. “I hope more people will soon learn about the persecution and take a stand so that this persecution can end,” he said.

See Through the Evil Nature of the CCP

Radoslav Stoyanov, from Sofia, has seen the effects of the practitioners’ efforts firsthand. He says that he first heard about the April 25 appeal from the Bulgarian media years after the original protest happened in Beijing. To him, he finds the fact that practitioners around the world have been observing this date for 25 years commendable.

“April 25 remains one of the most important dates in terms of the extension of Falun Dafa in the world and reminds us of the importance of defending this basic human right to speak freely in the face of injustice,” he said.

Over the past 25 years, Radoslav says that he believes the worldwide community has become more aware of the situation regarding Falun Dafa. He points to the increasing number of practitioners in Bulgaria as a sign of this trend. He hopes that in the future, the international community will be able to pressure the CCP into stopping the persecution.

“I hope that more and more people will see through the evil nature of communism and so the power of the CCP will naturally weaken. This depends on our joint efforts, we must constantly work to expose the persecution,” he said.

April 25 Commemoration Events Bring Worldwide Awareness

Anna Lusararian from the town of Pazardzhik was introduced to the practice in 2009, and finds that the practice gives her knowledge and direction in her life.

Anna Lusararian (The first on the right)

Anna says she first heard about the April 25 appeal, just a year after she was introduced to Falun Dafa. During a World Falun Dafa Day event, she found out more about the origin and extent of the persecution in China, and what the consequences have been. The conduct of the practitioners in China on April 25, 1999 moved her greatly as a new practitioner.

“What touched me is that 10,000 people gathered quietly and peacefully, appealing for the release of 45 practitioners. After talks and a hearing, the detainees were released that very evening,” she said. “Yet three months later, on July 20, 1999, a brutal persecution consisting of large-scale terror and murder began and has continued for 25 years.”

Observing this special date each year, for Anna, is another chance for the world to learn about the facts about Falun Dafa in China, and the courage of practitioners who persist in their faith.

“I believe that marking this date has helped alot of people around the world to become aware of what is happening in China and to condemn these crimes,” she said. “I hope for a free China in the near future that returns to its five-thousand-year history, where human values and morality come first and human life is not a means for economic growth.”