Representatives of victims of the persecution and government officials gave speeches at the gathering. Dai Zhizhen, an Australian citizen participated at the gathering with her 3-year-old daughter and gave speech. Her husband, Chen Chengying was tortured to death in China two years ago for appealing on behalf of Falun Gong in Beijing . He was 34 years old at the time of his death. Ms. Dai said that the Chinese government even refused to give her permission to go back to collect her husband's cremated ashes. She had to appeal to Australian media, government and non-government organisations for help. She finally was able to collect her husband's ashes back under the help of Australian Government.
Wang Xiaodan, a student from the University of Texas, said in her speech that her father, Mr. Wang Zhiwen was sentenced to a 16-year-long jail term for practising Falun Gong. In addition, Mr. Zhao Ming's statement and Dr. Charles Li's fiancée, Yeong-Ching Foo's statement were read. Representatives of the World Organisation to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong gave a speech.
Texas Senator Rodney Ellis and House Member Garnet Coleman dispatched their legislative aids to attend the event.
A Symbolic Public Trial of Jiang in the Court of Morality and Conscience
At the symbolic public trial of Jiang, a Judge and attorney parts were played by local Falun Gong practitioners. A puppet was used to symbolically represent Jiang Zemin.
Among the witnesses, there were people who gave their personal experience. Janice, a senior manager in a computer company in Texas, said in her testimony that her colleague was detained in Shanghai for his belief in Falun Gong while he was on a business trip to Shanghai. He was coerced by force to give information about other Falun Gong practitioners. Janice said that her name was on China's black list and she would suffer from similar treatment if she went to China on a business trip.
Mr. John Nania went to Beijing appeal for Falun Gong on Tiananmen Square and unfurled a large banner with 35 other practitioners in 2001, on which "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" were printed. He gave his narration of the suffering of himself and other practitioners encountered during their subsequent detention.
The purpose of the symbolic trial was to call for justice and open people's conscience so that more people can come to know the crimes of Jiang and his "610" office (a government Organisation set up to persecute Falun Gong). After the sentence of the court, Falun Gong practitioners began a march in downtown Houston. In the evening, candle light vigil was held in front of Chinese Consulate in Houston.
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