(Minghui.org) On Friday, July 19, 2024, Falun Dafa practitioners held an event in Bratislava’s Hviezdoslav Square to mark 25 years since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched the persecution of Falun Gong (Falun Dafa) in China. Despite the hot weather, many people stopped by the information booth to sign a petition against the persecution. 

Marek Tatarko, representative of the Slovak Falun Dafa Association, said, “For 25 years, Falun Gong practitioners in China have been subjected to severe persecution: torture, murder, brainwashing, imprisonment, rape, forced labor, defamation, economic persecution and surveillance form the basis of the persecution. Moreover, the harvesting of organs from living Falun Gong practitioners has taken the persecution to an even more horrific level.”

People sign a petition against the persecution of Falun Gong during an event in Bratislava on July 19, 2024. 

The night before the event, July 18, practitioners gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy to pay tribute to practitioners who lost their lives in the persecution. During the silent vigil, they held portraits of the victims of this inhumane persecution, which continues to this day in China.

Practitioners held a candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Embassy in Bratislava on July 18. 

Peter Osuský, Former MP: “This is the anniversary of the outbreak of pure evil”

Peter Osuský, a former long-time member of the Slovak Parliament, was the featured speaker at the event and gave a short speech in support of the Falun Dafa practitioners’ efforts to counter the persecution. 

“It is important to remember evil and not to forget it,” Mr. Osuský said. “Because the human soul mostly likes to remember and celebrate something positive. But this is the anniversary of an outbreak of such pure evil that it should and must be remembered, despite our desire to remember the good things. But if we try to think about the removal of organs from living people, which de facto means murdering them, we will understand how egregious is the evil perpetrated by a regime that has representatives who support and maintain it.”

He warned Western democracies against appeasement with evil. He concluded by thanking Falun Gong practitioners for taking action to commemorate the persecution, and expressed the hope that, thanks to their effort, what is happening will not be forgotten and will not become something that the world glosses over as “business as usual.”

Peter Osusky, former MP, addresses the vigil on Hviezdoslav Square in Bratislava.

Passersby Stand in Solidarity with Practitioners

Mr. Armen, a journalist from Armenia, said he had not heard of the persecution of Falun Gong. “It is shocking that someone is being tortured for these exercises. I don’t understand how this is possible,” he said. “I keep my fingers crossed for you in your activities. Even though I am a journalist, I didn’t know this was happening.” 

A woman from Serbia who signed the petition burst into tears and said she was very sensitive to the suffering of others. She said that she would start meditating, and took the contact information so that she could look up Falun Gong practitioners in Serbia. 

An 88-year-old gentleman, who was held for two years in a quarry and made to do forced labor during the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, expressed his support for Falun Gong practitioners. He encouraged practitioners to remain resilient, even if the persecution were to last 30 years. 

Several Chinese tourists who were in Bratislava took information about Falun Gong and one young lady from China tried the exercises during the event.