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Toronto, April 24 - For almost 2 years Ms. Li Zhang, a 38-year old a former Beijing senior environmental engineer who now lives in Toronto, continues to peacefully appeal for her husband's release from prison in China. He was sentenced for sending letters to his colleagues to clarify the true situation about the persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese president.

In the last three years hundreds have died in police custody and thousands have been tortured in labour camps while the persecution continues to be hidden under a fierce media blockage and propaganda campaign.

April 25^th marks the three year anniversary of the "Zhongnanhai Incident" where the Chinese government claimed that 10 000 Falun Gong practitioners surrounded the Beijing government complex. Li Zhang and her husband were there that day and witnessed the true situation. She will join others at a candle vigil to commemorate fellow practitioners who have been killed and imprisoned for peacefully protecting their right to believe and to call for an end to the hatred and violence.

Candlelight Vigil Commemorate April 25th 10,000 People Peaceful Appeal in Beijing

Date: Thursday April 25^th evening, 7:00pm - 9:00pm (est)

Location: In front of Chinese Consulate (240 St. George St, Toronto)

Background

38-year old Li Zhang, a former senior environmental engineer in Beijing met her husband Lizhi He, in 1985 at the Beijing Steel and Iron Design and Research Institute, where he worked as a senior engineer. The two were introduced by a colleague and quickly became close friends. The friendship lasted for 7 years before it turned to romance. They got married in 1992.

A Talented Engineer

Mr. Lizhi, 38, grew up in a farmer's family in Gansu Province, northwest China. In 1980, at the young age of 16, he was the only one in the county that passed the national university exam that year and was admitted to Xi'an Metallurgy and Construction College. Upon Graduation in 1984 he was assigned a job by the government at the top institute for the Metallurgy Ministry. Within his first year he received several awards, including "Excellent Design" and "Model Worker". In 1995, at the age of 31, he became the youngest "Senior Engineer" in the institute's history. Ms. Li Zhang, graduated from the same college a year later and was assigned a job to the same Institute where they met.

Falun Gong -- From Support to Persecution

Lizhi had interest in Chinese medicine and Qi Gong because he suffered regularly from high fever, coughing and a weak body since a very young age according to his wife. In 1995, a colleague introduced him to the benefits of Falun Gong which at the time was highly practiced, respected and awarded throughout China. His health improved dramatically soon after and he no longer suffered high fever.

In early 1999, the New York Times, AP and other media agencies quoted Chinese government officials as confirming that 70-100 million people practiced Falun Gong in China. Experts say in July 1999, Chinese president banned the practice and started a large scale crackdown and a propaganda war against the group because of its popularity and his political insecurity.

April 25, 1999, the Zhongnanhai Incident

After hearing that dozens of Falun Gong practitioners were beaten and arrested in the city of Tianjin, over 10,000 practitioners went to the national appeals office across the street from the central government compound, Zhongnanhai, in Beijing.

"We wanted to go to the national appeals office which is the official channel for citizens to appeal for their rights. The police deliberately directed all the practitioners to surround Zhongnanhai instead. At the time I didn't think anything of it."

The gathering was widely reported as peaceful and orderly without slogans or shouting. Later, the Chinese president used the situation to brand Falun Gong as a political threat to the communist ideology and regime.

Arrested before flying to Canada

The couple received their immigration papers from the Canadian Embassy in Beijing on 8 July, 2000. Ten days later, Lizhi was arrested by the National Security Ministry, equivalent of the former KGB of Russia, for the "crime" of sending letters to colleagues, with articles about Falun Gong.

In December, Lizhi was sentenced for three and half years in prison - He is imprisoned in Qianjin Prison near Tianjin City.

"My husband Lizhi is completely innocent. He was arrested and jailed simply because he practices Falun Gong," said Li.

On May 10 2001, Li secretly got on a plane heading to Canada, just 2 days before her immigration paper expired. She had to leave her beloved husband behind.

"I don't hate them."

In China Li tried every possible way and talk to every person she could to get her husband free. Lawyers and judges were heavily constrained by the high profile campaign against Falun Gong.

One official told her: "For a criminal with death penalty I can help. However, We have orders from higher up: no Falun Gong practitioners are allowed to be spared."

According to Amnesty International and other human rights organizations, tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been arrested, detained and imprisoned. Over 400 Falun Gong practitioners have died in the hands of police. According to Chinese government sources, the actual number is over 1600.

Li said: "Falun Dafa is good. It is an assets to Chinese people."

"I feel sad that people who don't know the truth are forced to participate in persecuting innocent and kind people to protect their jobs. I don't hate them. I feel sorry for them. "

Li asks the Canadian government and all kind-hearted people to help her appeal for the release of her husband.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a self-improvement practice that aims to gain better health and moral upgrades through exercises, meditation and 'living' the principle of "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance." It is taught for free and practiced in over 52 countries.