Chairwoman Hautala, together with MEPs Eija-Riitta Korhola and Sirpa Pietikäinen, sent a letter on 29th of November to the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the European Communities appraling for the release of Falun Gong practitioner, Ms Chen Zhenping. [:] 

To His Excellency the ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the European Communities

An appeal for the release of Ms. Chen Zhenping, a Falun Gong practitioner.

We are writing to repeat the appeal for the release of Ms. Chen Zhenping who was arrested on the 9th of July 2008 and subsequently sentenced to eight years of imprisonment for taking part in the Falun Gong movement. During her last opportunity of contact with the outside world she was being incarcerated in the Women’s Prison in Xinxiang city, Henan province. We want to stress that the European union does not support nor does it share the People’s Republic of China’s view that the practitioners of Falun Gong should be considered a threat to social stability.

We also express our deep concern as there has been no possibility of contact between Ms. Chen Zhenping, mother of Ms. Jin Zhaoyu, and her family for over six months. It is essential that the people close to Ms. Chen Zhenping are regularly informed about her location and the condition of her health.

We call on you to contact your government and all relevant authorities about releasing Ms Chen Zhen Ping immediately and unconditionally, and to guarantee her safety, as she is a prisoner of conscience, detained in violation of her rights to freedom of expression, association and religious belief explicitly stated in the Universal declaration of human rights to which China is a signatory.

We urge you to contact your government about putting an end to the crackdown against the Falun Gong movement and about stopping the practice of arbitrary detentions.

We are most grateful for your consideration of these issues.

Yours respectfully and sincerely,

Heidi Hautala, MEP

Eija-Riitta Korhola, MEP

Sirpa Pietikäinen, MEP