(Clearwisdom.net) On August 15, Falun Gong practitioners in Kansas City held a press conference, calling upon the American government, the media and the public to pay attention to the intensified persecution against Falun Gong during the Olympics, and help rescue two Falun Gong practitioners, Cao Junping and her husband, Pang Xiaoqian in Weifang. They are the parents of Pang Jin, a student at Missouri State University.

Pang Jin and her parents in August, 2007

At the press conference, Pang Jin said that the Chinese Communist Party is using the Olympics as an excuse to arrest Falun Gong practitioners. Her parents' house in Weifang, Shandong Province, was searched. Her parents were forced to leave home and later were illegally arrested. Pang called upon the American government to help rescue them.

"When the world is focusing on the Olympics, they don't see thousands of imprisoned Chinese people, many of whom are imprisoned because of their belief," said Barbara Gay at the press conference. "Since January 2008, more than 8,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been arrested and at least 130 practitioners were tortured to death. In Weifang, Shandong Province, 94 practitioners have been tortured to death in the last nine years. On July 9, 2008, more than 40 practitioners were arrested in Weifang. We are worried about Pang's parents," said Gay.

"The Chinese Communist Party takes the Olympics as an excuse to arrest Falun Gong practitioners, which is against the Olympic Charter," Ms. Wang, a local Falun Gong practitioner, said to the local media. She called upon the American government to help rescue Ms. Pang's parents.

NBC TV, the largest local TV station, attended the press conference.