I volunteered to be the one responsible in our Zürich English-speaking group of Amnesty International for the case of Chen Zhen Ping. This is a Chinese lady who is a supporter of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, and as a result of which finds herself imprisoned and subjected to torture and degrading treatment.
She has been sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for “using a heretical organisation to subvert the law”. Amnesty understands that she has been forcibly injected with drugs and subjected to regular beatings.
Falun Gong is a belief system that has been banned by the Chinese authorities, and its members face regular intimidation and persecution for their beliefs. Chen Zhen Ping is currently being held at Women’s No. 5 Prison, Henan Province, where an estimated 200 Falun Gong practitioners are held. Other prisoners have confirmed that the Falun Gong prisoners are daily subjected to broadcasts denouncing their beliefs and to high-pitched music unless they renounce their beliefs.
Amnesty is concerned that Chen Zhen Ping is still being subjected to torture and that her health is at serious risk.
We sent several letters, to the prison where she is held, and to various government officials, urging hat Chen Zhen Ping be released immediately and unconditionally; and that she should have access to legal representation; and should not be subjected to any mis-treatment.
And we also sent a card to her daughter, who now lives in Finland and is active in support of her mother. We sent our good wishes for her Mother and also all the family.
So it was a very special surprise to receive a parcel from Finland on Christmas Eve. It was addressed to Amnesty International Switzerland, and somehow my local Post Office thought it should be delivered to me. I was bemused : who could be writing to me from Finland ?
It was a box of chocolates from the daughter of Chen Zhen Ping, together with a card saying : To Switzerland Amnesty. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Thank you – help me and my Mom Chen Zhen Ping. Thank you very much !!!
So lovely. I will take the choccies to our next meeting in Zürich. And we will all enjoy.
Meanwhile – please all be aware that however little we think we are doing – just sending a letter, a card – it all makes a difference. I just did some school talks at the Kantonalschule in Sargans, and we ended up sending off eighty letters on behalf of Jabbar Sevelan in Azerbaijan. Bring it on !
She has been sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for “using a heretical organisation to subvert the law”. Amnesty understands that she has been forcibly injected with drugs and subjected to regular beatings.
Falun Gong is a belief system that has been banned by the Chinese authorities, and its members face regular intimidation and persecution for their beliefs. Chen Zhen Ping is currently being held at Women’s No. 5 Prison, Henan Province, where an estimated 200 Falun Gong practitioners are held. Other prisoners have confirmed that the Falun Gong prisoners are daily subjected to broadcasts denouncing their beliefs and to high-pitched music unless they renounce their beliefs.
Amnesty is concerned that Chen Zhen Ping is still being subjected to torture and that her health is at serious risk.
We sent several letters, to the prison where she is held, and to various government officials, urging hat Chen Zhen Ping be released immediately and unconditionally; and that she should have access to legal representation; and should not be subjected to any mis-treatment.
And we also sent a card to her daughter, who now lives in Finland and is active in support of her mother. We sent our good wishes for her Mother and also all the family.
So it was a very special surprise to receive a parcel from Finland on Christmas Eve. It was addressed to Amnesty International Switzerland, and somehow my local Post Office thought it should be delivered to me. I was bemused : who could be writing to me from Finland ?
It was a box of chocolates from the daughter of Chen Zhen Ping, together with a card saying : To Switzerland Amnesty. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Thank you – help me and my Mom Chen Zhen Ping. Thank you very much !!!
So lovely. I will take the choccies to our next meeting in Zürich. And we will all enjoy.
Meanwhile – please all be aware that however little we think we are doing – just sending a letter, a card – it all makes a difference. I just did some school talks at the Kantonalschule in Sargans, and we ended up sending off eighty letters on behalf of Jabbar Sevelan in Azerbaijan. Bring it on !
