WASHINGTON DC - Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman (20th District - NY), Chairman Emeritus of the House International Relations Committee, joined fellow Members of Congress and supporters of freedom of belief at a national rally on the steps of the United States Capitol with the theme, "Together to End the Persecution of Falun Gong" by the Chinese government.

"China's continued persecution of Falun Gong practitioners for merely practicing their [beliefs] is deeply appalling. After 3 years of intense repression marked by propaganda campaigns, beatings, and imprisonment, thousands of your brethren remain in

're-education-through-labor camps' or in prison without the benefit of formal judicial process," stated Gilman. "Furthermore, since October 2000, when China's president Jiang Zemin declared that Falun Gong was bent on 'overthrowing the Chinese government, and undermining socialism' and vowed to crush your spiritual practice, over 400 Falun Gong practitioners have died in detention as a result of torture or mistreatment."

"China's suppression of Falun Gong is systematic and thorough. They wish to destroy the religion [spiritual practice -- editor] and the practitioners; the Chinese regime fears

the popular appeal of your movement and views it as a threat to its domination over Chinese society at large," Gilman continued.

"The Congress and our House International Relations Committee has repeatedly condemned China's treatment of the Falun Gong and other religious groups. Just yesterday, the House passed H. Con. Res. 188, expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the People's Republic of China should cease its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners," Gilman concluded. "If the regime in Beijing wants to take its place among civilized nations, it must end the repression and persecution of Falun Gong and other religions, and end it now!"

Among the many honors bestowed upon Rep. Gilman, a member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, he has been a recipient of the Freedom Award for his life-long fight for human rights and religious freedom.