A group of US lawmakers voiced their support for Falun Gong practitioners on April 25, marking the 27th anniversary of a peaceful demonstration in Beijing. The demonstration, known as the April 25 appeal, took place in 1999 when about 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners gathered to request the release of detained adherents and seek freedom to practice their beliefs.
The event is significant because it preceded a campaign by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to suppress Falun Gong, which experts have described as ongoing persecution. Lawmakers highlighted concerns over continued human rights violations against religious groups in China.
“Each and every day—and especially on April 25th—we honor and remember the unwavering courage and conviction of Falun Gong practitioners worldwide, who continue to endure the Chinese Communist Party’s cruel campaign of persecution, defamation, and transnational repression,” Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), cochair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said in a statement. “The CCP’s brutal effort to stamp out the Falun Gong will be remembered as one of the worst crimes of the 21st century.”
Smith has represented New Jersey’s 4th district since replacing Frank Thompson in Congress in 1981 according to official records. He was born in Rahway, New Jersey in 1953 and currently lives in Manchester Township as reported by NJ.com. Smith graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1975 according to TCNJ Magazine.
Other lawmakers echoed Smith’s remarks. Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.) said: “As we mark the anniversary of the 1999 peaceful appeal in Beijing, we remember the courage of more than 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners who peaceably stood for their beliefs in the face of repression… The United States stands firmly with those facing religious persecution in China and around the globe.” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) called for accountability regarding reports that millions have been detained or subjected to forced organ harvesting since July 1999.
Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) referred to forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners as “abhorrent” and stated: “Twenty-seven years ago, the Chinese Communist Party launched a brutal campaign against Falun Gong practitioners… I will keep working to hold Beijing accountable until this persecution ends.”
Smith said he would continue holding hearings and introducing legislation aimed at prioritizing human rights within US–China relations: “The world must not look away… The CCP must be held accountable, and atrocities against Falun Gong must end.”
