(Clearwisdom.net) (Media comprehensive report) May 13, 2004 is the 5^th World Falun Dafa Day and the 12^th anniversary of Falun Dafa's introduction to the public. Falun Dafa practitioners around the world have been holding events of all kinds to celebrate this important day.

Philadelphia Inquirer reported Falun Gong practitioners' celebration event at Liberty Bell

Australia Falun Gong practitioners Celebrating World Falun Dafa Day

However, the same practice is facing different treatment in the place where it originated from. while Falun Dafa is welcomed in more than 60 countries and regions around the world, Falun Dafa has been persecuted in China by Jiang's political group since July 1999. It is reported that former Chinese president and current Chairman of National Military Committee, Jiang Zemin, became jealous over its popularity and numbers, which were larger than the members of the Party. Thus he orchestrated a brutal campaign of persecution against this ancient Chinese practice, which is based on the principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.". Since then, Practitioners from within China and those visiting China from overseas have been subject to numerous cases of arrest and torture. To date 960 Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted to death during police custody with more than 100,000 arrested. Moreover, many overseas practitioners have also been sentenced to prison terms when they went back to China. Among them, Dr. Charles Lee, a U.S. citizen, has been detained for more than 1 year since January 2003. Practitioners Liu Feng and Yang Fang are still suffering in Chinese labor camps since they went back to China from Ireland.

Most recently, according to BBC Worldwide Monitoring and Radio TV Hong Kong, in a recent secrete trial in Shenzhen, Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioner Carol Chan (Fu Xueying) who is 28 was sentenced to 3 years in prison for distributing Falun Gong truth-clarifying fliers.

Reportedly, Ms. Fu's husband, Mr. Fung, a 46-year old businessman, had been calling a judge responsible for his wife's case every week and every time had been told to call again later. The last time he called before the International Labor Day holiday (From May 1 to May 9) was on April 30 and nobody answered the phone. By the time he was informed of his wife's verdict, the deadline to appeal had just passed. He told SCMP: "I was only just told on May 10 that my wife was sentenced to three years in prison."

Mr. Fung told Clearwisdom.net that his wife had been moved to another prison while the Chinese authorities refused to divulge its location.

Family members and friends of Ms. Fu petitioned for her release upon hearing the sad news. According to the South China Morning Post, on the afternoon of May 16, Ms. Fu's husband and about 20 Falun Gong practitioners marched from Kwun Tong to Kowloon City to demand her release. They also demanded the release of Lin Junhui, a Mainland Falun Gong practitioner arrested in November. "She was sentenced by a Shenzhen court to an unspecified jail term for returning with Falun Gong material after visiting relatives in Hong Kong," the report said.

Mr. Li Hongzhi introduced Falun Dafa to the Chinese public in 1992. Since then, Falun Dafa has spread to the world quickly by word of mouth and from heart to heart. Falun Dafa's positive effect on improving civilian's physical and spiritual health and stabilizing society was highly recognized by the Chinese government and is now widely recognized by the world community. Falun Dafa has received more than 1000 proclamations and awards over the past 5 years from governments and organizations around the world.

References:

1. South China Morning Post, Family calls for release of [Falun Gong practitioner] on mainland, May 17, 2004
2. BBC Worldwide Monitoring, Hong Kong Falun Gong follower jailed in Shenzhen, May 16, 2004, Sunday
3. http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2004/5/18/74958.html
4. http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2004/5/18/74939.html