(Brussels, September 7, 2001)

During the EU-China summit in Brussels and the Chinese Premier's visit to Belgium, Falun Gong practitioners from different European countries, as well as from Australia, came to Brussels in an attempt to appeal peacefully to the Chinese delegation to stop the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China.

On Thursday, September 6, 2001, 16 practitioners from France, Belgium and the U.K. individually made their way to the Chinese Embassy in the afternoon. They expected to appeal to the Chinese Premier for the release of a recently detained French family, Mr. Chi Jian, and his wife and daughter, who had been arrested by Chinese security in Inner Mongolia, China in August 2001.

However, the Belgian police detained them all, handcuffing them and ransacking their belongings. They were not released until 9pm that evening. The practitioners were detained on the charge of disturbing the social order, although they had done nothing wrong and had no intentions of protesting. When they asked the reasons for their detainment, the policemen explained that they knew Falun Gong practitioners were peaceful, innocent people, but they were under heavy pressure from the Chinese authorities. All of the police officers gladly accepted our flyers clarifying the truth about the persecution in China, saying they would read them later when they were off duty.

This incident fully demonstrates how the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners is extended outside of China under the influence of a few wicked people. Some individuals from the Chinese delegation themselves also considered it wrong to clear out the practitioners from public places just because they peacefully appealed for justice. This is what one of the practitioners heard when listening to a conversation between two officials.

The freedoms of thought, of expression, and of belief are to be cherished; they cannot be replaced by any kind of material benefit. We hope that European countries can remain clearheaded when facing pressure from the Chinese Government, and be firm in their stance against the violations of human rights in China.