In China, "people are being killed because they appeal to the government and because they are part of a peaceful group. In the distant land of Sweden, the Chinese Consul is using the ship from Guangzhou that is sailing to Gothenburg as an excuse to not let us speak and is also telling the local radio station to follow in the footsteps of the Chinese consulate and change what they broadcast. This was a threat and the consulate should be punished."

She likes Zhang Cuiying’s works “not only because of the quality but also because of the spirit of the paintings. They’re nothing to do with politics - different meanings come from her heart.” She is also sympathetic to Cuiying, who was a victim of brutal persecution at the hands of Jiang Zemin’s regime because she practises Falun Dafa.

“Today I am entrusted by the Falun Dafa Association of Finland to hand in a lawsuit against Luo Gan for crimes of genocide and torture and for the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China...I think this business is to preserve justice for mankind. A criminal who has committed such crimes as genocide, will have to face the consequence of being arrested while visiting a foreign country.”

In the afternoon, practitioners went to the airport and held a peaceful demonstration as Luo Gan arrived in Rovaniemi. A journalist and a photographer from one of the largest newspapers came to Lapland to interview us. The next day there was a large article on the first page in one of Lapland’s largest newspapers.

In recent weeks, UK Falun Gong practitioners have received many completed petition forms from British people and human rights groups, in support for their campaign to free family members and friends who have been incarcerated in China, usually without any trial, for exercising their rights of freedom of belief and speech.

A lot of solicitors are very interested in the lawsuit against Jiang. Many answered the letters, providing suggestions and useful information. Some expressed a wish to meet Falun Gong practitioners so that they could talk further. Practitioners also received supportive letters from MPs, suggesting people that they should contact.

On one occasion, a local T.V station interviewed a practitioner about our activity and also agreed to make a documentary on Falun Dafa. After a few days, the T.V station sent the finished documentary on tape to a practitioner, together with a gift. The gift was an ornate white jade plate with the words “I love Falun Dafa” written on it.

"What is happening today in China, however, is the blatant misuse of psychiatry to act as a direct agent of social control and to be a tool of that state’s suppression of Falun Gong. Since the start of the persecution 4 years ago, a steady stream of practitioners have been labelled as mentally ill and been detained involuntarily in state forensic psychiatric hospitals...We know of between 1500-2000 such admissions of Falun Gong practitioners where families have refuted the presence of any mental illness."

Early this year, Mr. Fannos personally wrote a letter to the former vice secretary general, Hu Jin-Tao, asking him to follow public opinion and stop the persecution of Falun Gong; the letter was returned. Mr. Fannos once again wrote a letter to the Chinese ambassador accredited to Greece, Mr. Tang Keqi and requested he pass on the information. The letter was returned again on May 22. As a result of Mr. Fannos criticism of human rights in China, his computer in his shipping and travel company was attacked by a hacker.

Mr. Wang excitedly waved his fist in the air and said, “Though I don’t practise Falun Gong, I want to join your activities if I ever get the chance!” I looked at him in astonishment. He continued, “I want to defend Falun Gong against injustice! Why does the Chinese government treat Falun Gong this way? You are all peaceful, kind, and you never use violence.” When I looked at Mr. Wang’s majestic figure, I smiled from my heart.

"Two years ago, the Students of Trinity College Dublin spoke out in huge numbers against the terrible regime of persecution and torture against Falun Gong practitioners in China...Trinity College Students Union would like to pledge our support to the Falun Gong/Falun Dafa movement, and we will do our best to reclaim the level of awareness we saw two years ago."

Those who learned the truth about the persecution were shocked. Some of them said, “Why are they so cruel?” Others said, “We support you. You are doing very well, and should continue with that.” More of them suggested that we keep in touch with them to have further discussions.

We all know how SARS spread in China and to foreign countries, leading to hundreds of deaths. This happened because Jiang's regime covered up the epidemic during the Sixteenth Congress last year and during the Two Conferences this year. The title of the Xinhua Net's article reads, "Impervious to the Sense of Justice." I think this is reminding all of us of the true nature of the Jiang group's cover-up of the epidemic and their usual callousness toward human life.

Jiang's actions can only be explained by looking at the difference between Falun Gong's principles and Jiang's character. There is as an old saying in China: "Without high mountains one cannot experience the lowness of valleys." Falun Gong teaches people to follow the universal principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, so the practitioners experience deep spiritual awareness and maintain high moral standards. By comparison, the deceitfulness, wickedness, and cruelty of Jiang's character are exposed. Therefore, he could not allow Falun Gong to exist.

At that time, everywhere outside the hotel Jiang was staying in were all kinds of Dafa banners printed with "Falun Dafa," "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," "Stop the Persecution," etc. Jiang was very angry as well as frightened. He pressured the state government to force practitioners to remove all the banners. But the state officials immediately turned down his request, "No, this is a free country!"

Recently the Bishop of Bradwell, the Rt Rev Laurie Green, wrote to Falun Gong practitioners regarding the Article 23 legislation. She said “I do assure you that I will do all in my power to support the intention of your letter and will press for the Hong Kong government to have a proper degree of independence of mind and authority whenever I find myself able to do so.”

"Many reports provide evidence that detained Falun Gong practitioners are forcibly locked in mental hospitals. They are obviously mentally healthy but are forced to receive psychiatric treatments and are mistreated or beaten. None of this is treatment; it is persecution. It is very clear that over the past nearly three years, there have been a few hundred of these kinds of cases, each of which has reliable evidence."

"There is widespread and increasing disgust in many countries of the world at the unprovoked and inhuman persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist authorities; and your Government’s action in collaborating with this persecution is disappointing in that it appears to show that it is to curry favour with its large neighbour. Such action can only diminish the respect with which your country is regarded in the rest of the world and lead to doubts as to the genuineness of its sovereign independence."

Her friend in Sweden says that the arrest of Mrs. Svensson by the Thai government is a clear indication of the pressure that the Chinese authorities have actively imposed on other countries. A representative of the Swedish Falun Gong Information Centre commented, “The most obvious probability is that her name has been included on the Chinese government’s blacklist.

The World Health Organization has published a straightforward condemnation of the Communist regime in China. The WHO also firmly indicated that the Chinese authorities continue to cover up the facts, and manipulate the SARS-infected population so that the world is kept from panic.

After reading the latest information about the persecution of Falun Gong in a newspaper, the grandfather decided to help practitioners in China. He wrote a letter to a superintendent in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is also an MP, appealing for help stop the brutal persecution of Falun Gong. He cannot understand why this practice, which brings so many benefits to his grandson, has been banned and brutally persecuted in China.

'Today marks the eleventh day since Pirjo Svensson, 44, from Gothenburg was detained in Bangkok. The Thai authorities have still not stated why she is being detained. Despite his attempts, the Swedish Ambassador has not received any answers either.'

'The latest annual report on human rights from the U.S. Foreign Ministry ...refers to various sources according to which more than 200 Falun Gong practitioners have been killed while detained, or as a result of torture or abuse. Should only part of this information turn out to be true, then what we are facing is one of the biggest human rights violations in Asia today.'

'All of her family in China practise Falun Gong and they have all lost their jobs. Some have even had their belongings and property confiscated. Ms. Dai’s sister-in-law has been arrested many times and was tortured so brutally that she went insane. Her father-in-law also passed away due to the continued stress.'

The article included a big picture of a practitioner sitting in a meditation position and three sections of facts about Falun Gong. One section gave a short overview of what Falun Gong is. A second included facts about the cruel persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. In the third section there was information about where to learn Falun Gong and how to get exercise videos, music and books.

"A Greek who studied in China was also practising Falun Dafa and introduced me to many others who are really very nice, friendly, helpful and righteous. They do not belong to any Political Party or to any specific religion and they do not harm anybody in practising Falun Dafa. My opinion is that they are so fine and harmless that you, as the Leader of China, should be very proud of them."

“The net is about to tighten around Mr Jiang Zemin and many others taking part in this vast machinery of repression. Global justice is slowly but surely finding its place, and one day will catch up with them” the lawyer says, hoping to have a deterring effect on the torturers. The Swiss judicial authorities will be called upon the moment one of the known perpetrators sets foot on Swiss soil."

The former head of China, Jiang Zemin, could be sued in a Swiss Court for his persecution of Falun Gong under such crimes as torture, crimes against humanity and genocide. Lawyer Philip Grant: “I was given the mandate by several victims of Chinese repression to prepare a criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin, which will be filed before a competent prosecuting authority here in Switzerland when -- and if -- Jiang Zemin will ever set foot on Swiss territory again.”

'Bill Rammell, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, expressed the UK government’s concern over the enactment of Hong Kong’s Article 23 of the Basic Law at a United Nations press conference in Geneva on 20^th March 2003. He stressed that the guarantee of HK’s prosperity is based on freedom of speech and the media.'

'Today's submission is another step in the recent actions of Falun Gong practitioners, lawyers and international organizations to prosecute Jiang Zemin and his accomplices for the persecution of Falun Gong.'

'It was verified that Mrs Lin’s lawyer has appealed on human rights grounds against the decision of the Home Office to repatriate her. Hence, the legal procedures of the case have now started and the repatriation procedure was terminated on the same day. It is expected that Mrs Lin will be released early this week.'

"The United States government shares your concern about the arrest of Charles Li in China."

'Canadian Nicole Milot’s stand draws a lot of attention. Not surprising, considering that she and her colleagues continually offer demonstrations of Falun Gong...With her eyes closed, Milot gives a demonstration. Her serene laugh speaks volumes: “My heart has changed and I’m no longer as agitated. There is more peace in my life.”'

Tinch Minter is a Cambridge-based playwright. After learning about the Jiang regime’s brutal persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners, she chose to portray her sympathy and concern by composing a play for two relatives of UK Dafa practitioners who are currently being illegally detained in China.

"The freedom of the press is threatened; the business world has fears for the conditions that have made Hong Kong a foremost financial centre and channel of capital to China’s rapid development; the Catholics and other churches are apprehensive; and at the centre of the storm are the practitioners of Falun Gong, the peaceful and non-violent group that has become the victim for the most massive persecution in human history."

"I am totally opposed to the introduction of Article 23 legislation of the Basic Law of Hong Kong. I believe that this would violate the basic rights and freedoms which we value so much in this country and which are fundamental to any civilised society."

'Falun Gong practitioners held a vigil outside the Chinese Embassy for two days, to appeal against the cruel torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Four Chinese women participated in this worldwide activity today to protest against Jiang Zemin, [..] who outlawed the meditation practice of Falun Gong in 1999.'

PRACTITIONERS of the Falun Gong spiritual movement protested outside the Chinese Embassy yesterday over the alleged torture of fellow practitioners. They claim 46 people have died in labour camps in China since last November

'Barefoot, sitting cross-legged, with hands conjoined and eyes closed – that’s how young Poles, in an act of solidarity with persecuted Chinese practitioners of the ancient practice of Falun Gong, demonstrated yesterday in front of the Chinese embassy. They feared neither the cold nor the falling snow.'

Author Gavin Menzies has written a book claiming that an enormous Chinese fleet discovered America in 1421, 70 years before Columbus. He says that they mapped the world and created settlements in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, across the Pacific and in the Indian Ocean. Here is a radio interview with the author.

'My fiancée was arrested in Beijing on the 4 November and now I do not know where she is. Chinese security services went to see her parents, but would not say where she is... My dream is that she can come to the UK and we can marry, but that is a long way away. I am hoping that the British government will put pressure on the Chinese government to free her.'

'They urge MEPs to speak out against legislation in Hong Kong [called Article 23; an anti-subversion law which is being used by the Jiang regime against Falun Gong], which would jeopardize its freedom of speech.'

At the moment, 6.5 million people in Hong Kong are being threatened with the loss of their basic right of expression, belief and association by Article 23, a proposed law in Hong Kong. Swedish Falun Gong practitioners appealed to the public to support an international petition against this threat to the human rights of Hong Kong citizens.

European Friends of Falun Gong wrote to Queen Elizabeth to inform her about the persecutory nature of Article 23. Friends of Falun Gong is a non-profit making organisation consisting of non-practitioners who support freedom of belief for Falun Gong practitioners. To find out more, please visit www.fofg-europe.org.

The European branch of the Global League Against Article 23 gathered in Frankfurt to protest against the establishment of Article 23 in Hong Kong. This protest activity received support from many non-governmental organizations, including student associations from across Germany and democratic rights associations.

'The guise of secession and subversion, combined with increased police power, would turn Hong Kong into a police state. Not only this, but questions would arise over the safety of the media, business and other sectors of society.'

'Why does [jiang Zemin] want to persecute innocent people? Perhaps because he is jealous of Falun Gong which touched people’s hearts, as 100 million people began to practise Falun gong in only several years and started to follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.'

'A complaint has been lodged in France by Belgian and French nationals in the name of universal competence against Chinese Vice-Premier Li Lanqing during a visit [of Li Lanqing to France].'