In today's world, with things such as TV and newspapers, it is not difficult to cook up a story about a country or even the entire world, not to mention a story about just one individual...

"...practitioners are being persecuted, locked up, tortured and killed. Worldwide there are tens of millions of practitioners; in the Netherlands Falun Gong is active as well. What drives them?"

One of President Chirac's friends [...] heard our presentation about Jiang Zemin's brutal persecution of Falun Gong and described him as "the chief prison guard on the planet."

BRUSSELS – He was beaten, kicked and humiliated. He was given electroshocks and was deprived from sleep during days. His left leg is still practically numb. The fact that Zhao Ming (30) can tell his story is due to the western world putting pressure on the Chinese government. Zhao is one of thousands of people being persecuted because he practises Falun Gong.

Looking at the heavily guarded hotel with the amount of police stationed there, in contrast to the peaceful environment of the Dafa practitioners, the local citizens were rather displeased at the overwhelming security set-up for Jiang's visit. They were more annoyed when they learned about the persecution of the Dafa practitioners by Jiang's regime.

Two German media reports from the Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung, April 13, 2002 (Wolfsburg Common News) on the subject of Chinese President Jiang Zemin’s visit to Germany

"Was it really within the norm? One is allowed to cheer, but not to protest. [...]but this allowed the police to rudely drag a lone female Falun Gong follower in Dresden away outside Jiang Zemin’s hotel residence. It is just like the police are doing in that police state called China."

"Without moral authority of any kind, all governments will succumb. I predict that, if social unrest and problems increase, the Chinese government entities will suddenly realize that peaceful citizens, such as the Falun Gong followers, are of inestimable value."

A member of European parliament, after listening, said, "I have no reason not to sign, also the EU had met numerous times, and we have passed a resolution hoping that the Chinese government would reconsider their treatment of Falun Gong."

"Beijing - In a big crackdown by the Chinese police on Falun Gong, dozens if not hundreds of adherents have been killed, according to a statement of the banned movement."

In May 2000, Mr Zhao- himself a Falun Gong practitioner - was sent to a labour camp on the outskirts of Beijing and held there without trial for a year and 10 months in which, he said, he endured physical and mental torture at the hands of officers charged with getting Falun Gong supporters to renounce their beliefs.

Mr Ming said it was "really hard and painful to recall those memories" but said he felt he must "say something of the truth", about the labour camp.