(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Shen Yueqian is a 41-year-old business owner of a golf-related industry in Beijing. Police arrested her from her home in November 2011, and then sentenced her to two years of forced labor at Beijing Women's Forced Labor Camp.
When Ms. Shen refused to be “transformed” she was placed in a small, solitary confinement cell for four months. Ms. Shen is currently detained at Tumuji Labor Camp in Zhalaiteqi, Xinganmeng of Inner Mongolia, and subjected to slave labor and other abuse.
Shen Yueqian
What follows is the appeal letter Ms. Shen's family submitted to the relevant authorities.
Shortly after 7 p.m. on November 17, 2011, while Shen Yueqian was helping her daughter with her homework, police officers suddenly broke in and took Ms. Shen away. They also ransacked our home and made a big mess. The young girl was scared and cried. The officers didn't leave until after midnight.
On February 26, 2012, we received a letter from Beijing Municipal People's Government Re-education Through Labor Committee notifying us that Shen Yueqian had been sentenced to two years of forced labor. One of the charges was “harboring Falun Gong propaganda material.”
We all know that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) persecution of Falun Gong has no legal basis. Article 36 of our country's Constitution states “Citizens of the People’s Republic of China have the right of freedom of religion.”
Article 33 of the Constitution states: “The State respects and preserves human rights.” Then, freedom of religion as a basic human right of a citizen, should be protected by the Constitution.
Article 36 of the Constitution also provides: “No state organ, public organization, or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion.”
Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) includes exercises that bring a healthy body, and Fa principles that teach people to be kind and improve their inner nature, which gives practitioners a new outlook on the world and life. Thus, the Falun Gong practitioners improve morality, lead a good and happy life, and become people that benefit society.
Faith is a result of human thinking, and human thought in itself doesn't harm others. No organization or individual in the world has the right to interfere with people's freedom of thought. Thoughts don't violate the law and are not a crime. Therefore freedom of belief is universally recognized as a fundamental human right.
Falun Gong teaches people to perform good deeds, follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to be good people, improve their inner nature so that they can achieve physical and mental health, family harmony, and not be attached to worldly gains and losses. Falun Gong practitioners have no political agenda; they only aim to reach a selfless realm. Such people are beneficial to society rather than harmful.
The Forced Labor Sentencing Notice cites “harboring Falun Gong propaganda material” as one charge. We did not harbor the information DVDs, but openly stored them in the CD box next to the TV. One shows China's 5000-year traditional culture through classical dance performances that can be enjoyed by adults and children. There are also DVDs about prophecy and life, as well as the road to health. What law do Chinese citizens breach by watching these media at home? What crime does it constitute?
The additional charges of “resisting state law” and “a detriment to social order” are really absurd. Since Shen Yueqian began practicing Falun Gong, she has become more gentle and shows respect to her in-laws. She is a typical wife and mother. She also operated her own company. She abided by the law, paid taxes on time, and treated every employee well. She is a good wife and mother at home, helping her child with homework every day. Such a law-abiding citizen was convicted of impeding social order.
On the other hand, the law enforcement department took Shen Yueqian's money, and persecuted a good person. How can this be justified?!
In today's society, the moral values of society are worsening day by day. Corrupted officials are everywhere. Robbery, deceit, drugs, pornography, gambling, and such should be managed by the authorities. However, persecuting Shen Yueqian is simply reversing black and white, and confusing right and wrong. Shen Yueqian herself requests the authorities to reconsider her case.
To this end, we appeal to higher authorities to reopen her case and request the acquittal of Shen Yueqian.
Family of Shen Yueqian
March 1, 2012
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