Sep 3, 2002

Human rights activists have taken up the case of a Chinese engineer locked up for his belief in a peaceful meditation practice.

The Bermuda branch of Amnesty International (AI) is campaigning for Lizhi He to be released after he was jailed for promoting the banned practice of Falun Gong in China.

Signatures will be collected at this week's Harbour Nights in Front Street to be sent to the Chinese ambassador in Canada.

Local AI Chairperson Lucy Attride-Stirling said a letter will also be sent to Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

She said the case of Lizhi He was looked at by AI before but was re-opened after Canadian national Siying Gu visited last week.

Mrs. Gu told The Royal Gazette that the ancient practice of Falun Gong had changed her life but followers were being tortured to death in China and had even faced violence in Canada from supporters of China's president. She said: "It's a way of life to improve the mind, body and spirit through meditation."

She said in the last ten years the number of followers in China had gone from fewer than a hundred to 100 million despite the Government clampdown.

She said: "Thousands of people have been tortured to death and ten of thousands more have been put into labour camps, mental hospitals and prisons."

She said although China was opening up economically the clampdown on civil liberties had worsened in recent years.

And she said the Falun Gong's principles of truth, compassion and tolerance were the opposite of the President's agenda.

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