(Clearwisdom.net December 12, 2003)

December 10 was International Human Rights Day. In January, 1947, the Human Rights Commission created by the United Nations drafted a declaration of human rights. On December 10, 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was passed in Paris, and its core value is to recognize the right to life, liberty and security of the individual, and to recognize that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Houston Falun Gong practitioners rallied in front of City Hall on this special day to protest the Jiang regime's persecution of Falun Gong and request the immediate release of all Falun Gong practitioners. They also collected signatures to rescue U.S. citizen Charles Li.

At noon on December 10, practitioners held a press conference in front of city hall, with some practitioners demonstrating the Falun Gong exercises. To expose the Jiang regime's crimes against Falun Gong, practitioners displayed many truth-clarifying posters, pictures and banners, and some handed out "Rescue Charles Li" cards and collected signatures. Because it was lunchtime, there were many people, including government officials, passing by the event site. After learning the facts of Falun Gong and the plight of Charles Li, many of them signed our petition to request the immediate release of Charles Li.

Charles Li was arrested by Chinese public security officials at the Guangzhou Airport when he returned to China last January. He was later sentenced to three years and is being held in Nanjing Prison. He has been deprived of his rights to read Falun Gong books, to practice Falun Gong and to appeal. Furthermore, he has been suffering from forced brainwashing for more than 11 months. Brainwashing is a means of mental torture. Though in appearance the person suffering from brainwashing doesn't have any cuts and bruises, forcing a person to give up his belief is equivalent to forcing him to give up his conscience and his identity. Therefore, brainwashing is a torture, no less than other physical torture methods. The Nanjing Prison has been constantly violating Charles Li's basic rights. Tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners are suffering from this type of torture in China.

Houston Falun Gong practitioners are protesting the Jiang regime's persecution of Falun Gong and requesting the Chinese authorities to release U.S. citizen Charles Li and all Falun Gong practitioners who are being illegally persecuted and detained. They also request the Chinese government to restore Falun Gong practitioners' freedom of belief and other basic rights, which are enshrined in the Chinese Constitution.