(Clearwisdom.net) On November 30, 2005, Amnesty International hosted a seminar entitled, "Stop Violence Against Women" at the London School of Oriental and African Studies. Falun Gong practitioner Mo Zhengfang was invited to give a speech about her own experience of being persecuted by the Chinese Communist regime. Some artworks from the "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" International Art Exhibition were also displayed at the seminar. After learning about the persecution, many seminar participants signed the petition calling for the United Nations Human Rights Council to assist in rescuing the persecuted Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Seminar venue

Signing to call for an end to the persecution

Falun Gong practitioner Mo Zhengfang pointed out that many female Falun Gong practitioners in China have been illegally and brutally persecuted by the Chinese Communist regime. Torture methods used against them include sexual harassment, sexual abuse and forced abortion. She was beaten and kicked by the police when she was eight months pregnant. In December 1999 Ms. Mo, a British resident, attended the Falun Gong experience sharing conference in Hong Kong. She then went to Beijing with three other Falun Gong practitioners to appeal for justice for Falun Gong, trying to tell people the facts of the persecution and the beauty of Falun Gong. Unexpectedly, when they were preparing their truth-clarification banners in the hotel, the police broke into their room and illegally arrested all of them. When they started the sitting meditation while in detention, the police kicked Ms. Mo's legs despite the fact that she was eight months pregnant. She was then detained in a detention centre in Beijing for one week.

Mo Zhengfang told the participants that the Chinese Communist regime's persecution of female Falun Gong practitioners is extremely wicked. An example is the persecution of pregnant women. Although Chinese law prohibits pregnant women from being sent to forced labor camps, many women are forcibly given abortions and were then sent to labor camps. There were also pregnant women who had miscarriages in the labor camps because of the heavy physical workload. Even women seven or eight months pregnant could not escape that abuse.

In the seminar, the organization, Friends of Falun Gong provided some art works from the "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" International Art Exhibition for display. These included paintings depicting torture of practitioners, including practioners being hung up high with both arms stretched, and torture against women. Also exhibited were pictures showing Falun Gong practitioners' efforts in revealing the facts of the persecution and appealing for justice. Practitioners explained the background and the story behind each painting. Some students who passed by the seminar room also stopped to look at the artworks. Many participants signed the petition calling for the immediate end to the persecution and asked for information about Falun Gong and the art exhibition.

A seminar participant said that, as described in the Amnesty International's posters, violence against women is the most shameful crime in today's world. The facts she heard today about the Chinese Communist regime's persecution against women and Falun Gong practitioners were intolerable. She hoped that this persecution could be stopped immediately.

This seminar was organized by the student union at the School of Oriental and African Studies, as part of Amnesty International's worldwide efforts to stop violence against women. This worldwide activity will end on International Human Rights Day on December 10.

http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/200512/30266.html