2/14/2002

Personal statement of english student Lee Hall before his arrest in China yesterday.

My name is Lee Hall and I am a 21-year-old student of English at Loughborough University. I began practising Falun Gong in September 2001 and very quickly experienced a large and varied range of benefits: I had more energy, I no longer felt stressed or run-down, I needed less sleep and my whole family remarked on how calm and considerate I suddenly became. I no longer get annoyed or agitated and through following Falun Gong's principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, I started to think of others before myself and gave up many bad habits that were previously a part of my life. I was amazed and excited by these benefits and told everyone I knew about this powerful spiritual practice. I thought that if everyone follows these principles and experienced these benefits the world would be a much better place. Then I read about the persecution. No matter how hard I tried, I could not think of one sensible reason why a country would want to kill and torture its people for improving their health, lifestyle and moral standards.

Falun Gong practitioners were the backbone of Chinese society; scientists, government officials, teachers and entrepreneurs. Suddenly their Government began a vicious regime of barbaric torture, extortion, brainwashing and propaganda. Chinese people were told that Falun Gong is banned throughout the world, and the Chinese Communist Party vowed to destroy it. I read about the beatings adn horrific torture suffered by people of all ages and backgrounds. Since the beginning of this persecution 359 official deaths have been admitted whilst the unofficial figure is over 2000. Hundreds of thousands of innocent people have been imprisoned without trial to face torture, beatings and brainwashing. Since the first day of this persecution there is not one incident of a Falun Gong practitioner retaliating.

The Chinese authorities have continually and blatantly violated every human rights treaty that they have ever signed, but other governments have taken little action to attempt to help theses innocent people. I decided to help in any way that I could and in January 2002 began plans to take part in a peaceful protest on Tianenmen Square, Beijing, with Falun Gong practitioners from all over the world. Thousands of brave Chinese people have already supported Falun Gong here, knowing that the fate that awaits them is imprisonment, beatings and even torture or death. I cannot let them suffer alone and by going to China hope to show the Chinese people, who are surrounded by every form of propaganda, that Falun Gong is practised in over 50 countries bringing physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing to millions. I also hope to show the Chinese Government that their heinous crimes against humanity are known throughout the world and that they must end this persecution immediately. I cannot stand by and see innocent people tortured and killed for improving their health and believing in Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. I will not rest until this persecution ends.

Lee Hall


(Lee was arrested in a massive pre-emptive police raid on his hotel last night and is expected to be deported today. Approximately 33 other arrests are believed to have taken place, 20 on Tiananmen Square this morning)

For further information contact Mary Cann (Falun Gong UK) 0115 9141260 /  kubla.khan@ntlworld.com