FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 25, 2002 [ http://www.clearwisdom.net/ ]

DUBLIN, June 25, 2002 (Irish Falun Dafa Information Centre) -- The Chinese Embassy in Dublin has refused to renew Ms. Dai Dongxue's passport for the third time in less than 2 years.

After visiting the Embassy on the morning of Monday 24^th June, Ms. Dai was informed that her passport would not be renewed again, due to her persistence in practicing Falun Gong and exposing its persecution in China.

Denied Three Times

Ms. Dai, 37, had first requested a renewal of her passport, which was to expire in February 2001, in August 2000. The Embassy staff refused, without supplying a letter of explanation or written confirmation of the denial.

On the 27^th February, Ms. Dai again called the Embassy about her passport. Mr. Wang, the Secretary of the Embassy, made it clear that her passport would only be renewed if she denounced Falun Gong, meanwhile claiming that she had broken Chinese law by practicing Falun Gong.

This Monday, Ms. Dai again went to the Embassy to request a renewal of her passport. This time, the Embassy representative refused to entertain Ms. Dai's request, as Mr. Wang had already refused the application.

Later, after receiving a phone call, the Embassy representative said "I just won't do it for you, I just won't do it for you" adding "There is no reason and no need to explain this to you."

Typifying the persistent spirit of Falun Gong practitioners, Ms. Dai commented that she was going to "appeal outside the Embassy every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (the official embassy working days)", until she receives her passport.

Base Actions

"These actions are really base", commented a spokesperson for the Irish Falun Dafa Information Centre. "Jiang has spent almost 3 years trying to force people into giving up a peaceful practice. However, he has not succeeded. This shows that the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion- Forbearance is deeply rooted in people hearts, and no external measures can change this." He continued: "Jiang has thus tried to use political pressure to influence people outside China to turn their backs on Falun Gong, and to legitimize his persecution".

Background

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50 countries.

Since President Jiang Zemin banned Falun Gong in 1999, the Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of over 428 deaths. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600. Over 100,000 have been detained, with more than 20,000 being sentenced to forced labour camps without trial.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EUROPEAN FALUN GONG INFORMATION CENTRE

Contacts: Dai Dongxue 087 959 6370

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.clearharmony.net