[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 103 (Thursday, July 25, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1370-E1371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               FALUN GONG

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. RICHARD A. GEPHARDT

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 24, 2002

  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, earlier this evening I was unavoidably 
detained during the vote on House Concurrent Resolution 188, expressing 
the sense of Congress that the Government of the People's Republic of 
China should cease its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Had I 
been present for this vote, I would have voted ``aye.''
  As enumerated repeatedly in U.S. Government and independent human 
rights reports, practitioners of Falun Gong have been subjected to 
numerous human rights abuses by the Chinese Government. These abuses 
have extended from intimidation and surveillance to torture and other 
cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment against them and other 
prisoners of conscience.
  These practices must end. This resolution calls on the Chinese 
Government to release from detention all Falun Gong practitioners and 
put an end to the practices of torture and

[[Page E1371]]

other cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment against them. It also 
calls on the Chinese Government to abide by the International Covenant 
on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human 
Rights by allowing Falun Gong practitioners to pursue their personal 
beliefs.
  Mr. Speaker, we must continue to remind the international community 
of the Chinese Government's systematic abuse of the human rights of 
Falun Gong practitioners and others, and to demand--in every possible 
forum--that the Chinese Government cease such activities. I therefore 
strongly support this resolution.

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