Russia: Receiving Support in Moscow whilst Raising Awareness about the Persecution Against Falun Gong

On the 26th of January 2005, Moscow Dafa practitioners gathered in front of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the centre of the city to raise awareness about the persecution against Falun Gong in China. The temperature dropped to minus 14 degrees and the activity was scheduled to last for three hours.

Practitioners held huge banners reading, “Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance”, “Falun Gong is Good”, “Immediately Stop Persecuting Falun Gong in China” and “1275 Falun Gong Practitioners have been Persecuted to Death”. Large photos exposing the torture used to force Falun Gong practitioners to renounce their beliefs were displayed. Since the genocide against Falun Gong was launched in 1999, human rights workers have documented over 38,000 specific cases of torture or severe abuse. The Moscow practitioners stood and faced the icy wind, distributed leaflets and talked to passers by. After hearing about the violations of human rights happening in China, local people signed a petition calling for an end to the persecution.

Members of the security police read the Falun Gong leaflet carefully. They also read every banner and poster in detail and asked us with concern, “How long do you have to stand here for?” One of the practitioners replied, “Three hours - that is as long as the permission allows us.” The policeman said, “We are worried that you won’t be able to endure in this freezing weather.” A practitioner replied, “We are Falun Gong cultivators. This cold is nothing.” When the three-hour activity ended, the police said admiringly: “Brilliant! Well done all of you!”