December 5, 2000
Dear Friends:
Thank you for your letter regarding the trial of Teng Chunyan. I too am extremely troubled to learn of this trial of a Falun Gong practitioner who is a U.S. Green Card holder.
As your may know, the First Beijing Intermediate People's Court held the trial for Teng Chunyan, on November 23, 2000 accusing her of "gathering intelligence for overseas organizations" after she exposed the detention of normal Falun Gong members in a mental hospital by Chinese authorities. The trial ended after three hours, but the verdict has yet to be announced.
My staff on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee contacted the Department of State to urge them to look into this case and to assist Dr. Chunyan in any way possible. It is my hope that her case will be resolved justly. However, China's deplorable human rights record does not leave me overly optimistic.
Persecution of those expressing their own beliefs continues at alarming levels in Communist China. It is preposterous that Falun Gong practitioners, who engage in peaceful expression and in peaceful assembly, have been accused of trying to overthrow the Communist government.
As you may know, Senate Resolution 217 was approved on November 19,1999. The resolution calls on the Government of the People's Republic of China to: (1) release all prisoners of conscience and put an immediate end to the harrassment dentention, physical abuse, and imprisonment of Chinese citizens exercising their legistimat erights to free belief, expression a, and association; and (2 )demonstrate it's willingness to abide by internationally accepted norms of freedom of belief, expression, and association by repealing or amending laws and decrees that restrict those freedoms and proceeding promptly to ratify and implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Rest assured , I will contine to monitor this tragic situation. Again, thank you for bringing this important matter to my attention. Kindest regards.
Sincerely,
JESSE HELMS
Category: Voices of Support Worldwide
