Slovakia: Lawmakers Express Solidarity with Falun Gong Practitioners During Rally to Protest Decades Long Persecution

(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners held a rally and candlelight vigil in Hviezdoslav Square in Bratislava on July 18, 2025 to protest the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 26-year-long persecution. Several members of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic attended the event.

Passers-by had the opportunity to see a demonstration of Falun Gong exercises as well as learn about the persecution of the spiritual discipline in China. Many people signed a petition calling for an end to the persecution.

Practitioners held a rally in Hviezdoslav Square in Bratislava on July 18, 2025 to protest the CCP’s persecution.

People sign the petition calling for an end to the persecution.

Candlelight vigil

The rally and vigil were also attended by František Mikloško, dissident and member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic, Peter Osuský, former long-time member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic, and Ondrej Dostál, member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic, who came to show their support.

Member of National Assembly: “The Evil and Hatred of the Communist Regime in China Will Eventually Be Defeated.”

František Mikloško, dissident and member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic, addresses the rally.

In his speech, František Mikloško, dissident and member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic, recalled the peaceful nature of Falun Gong and the senselessness of the persecution. He said that Falun Gong practitioners are persecuted because they persevere in their belief. The CCP brutally persecutes practitioners and even conducts forced organ harvesting for profit. However, facing such brutality, the practitioners remain peaceful and rational.

He emphasized, “Thanks to people like these our friends and others, it is memory that will eventually defeat the inhuman communist regime. That is why it is extremely important to repeat it, to remind ourselves of it, and to keep telling the Chinese regime that all evil eventually has an end. The evil and hatred of the Communist regime in China will eventually be defeated.”

Former Member of National Assembly: Fight for Truth and Justice for Falun Gong

Peter Osuský, former Member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic, addresses the rally.

Peter Osuský, former Member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic, began his speech by referring to the peaceful protests to draw attention to the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong, which have been taking place in front of the Chinese Embassy in Bratislava for many years, but the persecution continues.

He said, “The memory of civilized humanity should not forget what is happening. And it is not to tolerate China using its national pension to buy favor with the democracies. It is a disgrace that in the case of such heinous crimes as those committed by the Chinese communists against the good people of Falun Gong, that this attitude is governed by a rather low rule - it is not values that decide, but interests.”

He added, “It would be good, of course, for the world to wake up and understand that this regime since 1949 has committed mass crimes, and that for 26 years now it has been adding more and more crimes to them all the time. The world is evolving, the world is civilizing, but the communist criminal systems remain at the level of the worst, darkest murderers. And in that sense, it is an obligation for us, for you, and for all those around the world who know and remember and let it be known that the struggle for truth and justice for Falun Gong is never ending.”

He also expressed that he did not believe that the evils of the communist regime would ever change, even if there were changes in important positions in the leadership of the Communist Party. He ended his speech by saying, “But if we begin to avert our eyes, if we remain silent, then we ourselves deserve nothing better than the totalitarianism and the evil of a criminal regime. So let us stand by the good people, for they are the good people of Falun Gong. Let us not forget them, and whenever there is an opportunity, let us talk about them and remember their righteous cause.”

Screenshot of Mr. Osusky’s social media posting about the candlelight vigil

Mr. Osusky also shared a report about this event on his social media account on July 20, with the comment: “The fight against the criminal Chinese communist despotism is not over... let’s not turn a blind eye to the shameful fact of forced organ harvesting from people for business.”

Member of the National Assembly: Slovak Stands with You

Ondrej Dostál, Member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic, addressed the rally.

Ondrej Dostál, Member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic, in his speech mentioned the event in May this year, where the introduction of Falun Gong was celebrated, and now in July we are commemorating the beginning of the persecution. He said, “That anniversary today is tragic and it would be better if we did not commemorate it. Maybe if it wasn’t for this tragic anniversary, you would only be meeting here, or just quietly enjoying your life choices, your lifestyle, practicing, meditating, fulfilling your own idea of your life. And the rest of us might not even know about you. But by persecuting Falun Gong followers, the Chinese communist regime has made it a much broader issue. It has made it a political issue that should not leave any decent person indifferent, especially not a decent and democratically minded politician.”

He further said: “Because what the Chinese communist regime is perpetrating against Falun Gong followers are crimes against humanity. The Chinese communist regime is dictatorial, it is totalitarian, it does not respect human rights, it persecutes its own citizens because of their political views, because of their religious beliefs. In addition to Falun Gong, it also affects Christians, Uyghurs, Tibetans, political opponents and critics of the regime.

“But the violence against Falun Gong followers is particularly great and particularly brutal, and therefore deserves particularly great attention and solidarity from decent people around the world, from democratic politicians who cannot just look at China through the lens of trade relations and economic cooperation and ignore the issue of human rights.”

He added that he has repeatedly sought to raise human rights issues, including the persecution of Falun Gong, in relations with China. He said, “I want to use today to reassure you that there are also people in Slovakia who stand in solidarity with you, who stand in solidarity with the Falun Gong people who are being persecuted, imprisoned and killed in China, because it is our duty.”

He ended his speech by saying, “And we will continue to come here a year from now for as long as it takes. Hopefully it won’t be necessary for very much longer.”

Condemning the CCP’s Transnational Repression

Marek Tatarko, Chairman of the Slovak Falun Gong Association, introduced Falun Gong by saying, “In 1999, a government survey showed that about 100 million people practiced this system, which was more than the members of the CCP. The then-Chinese president felt threatened by this, so out of jealousy he decided to destroy Falun Gong by all means. For 26 years, Falun Gong practitioners in China have been very cruelly persecuted, tortured and even subjected to forced organ harvesting.”

Marek Tatarko, Chairman of the Slovak Falun Gong Association, addressed the rally.

He also mentioned that the CCP extends the persecution abroad in the form of a disinformation campaign in the media and on social media to turn public opinion against Falun Gong. This is completely unacceptable.

Vigil in front of the Chinese Embassy

Candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Embassy in Bratislava

On the eve of the event, on July 17, a vigil was also held in front of the Chinese Embassy in Bratislava, where practitioners paid tribute to the practitioners who lost their lives in the persecution. During the silent vigil, participants held portraits of the victims of this inhumane persecution in China.