The Fresno Bee (California): Chinese detainee's group stops in Fresno

March 6, 2003

When Charles Li arrived in China 43 days ago to visit his parents and acquire Chinese herbs, he was arrested and jailed by government officials.

Li, 37, of Menlo Park, is a U.S. citizen. His fiancée and friends have been touring California in recent days and arrived Wednesday at Fresno City Hall to meet with city officials to seek their help.

Friends of Charles Li, a Bay Area-based organization, also fanned out around Fresno City Hall and collected a few dozen signatures that will be sent to Washington, D.C., to show support for Li and attempt to bring his release.

Pete Muniz, who works for the Fresno City Council, said the group's information was forwarded to council members. No council members were in their offices Wednesday afternoon when the group arrived.

Friends of Charles Li has collected more than 10,000 signatures since his arrest on Jan. 22. Li's situation also has spurred a letter-writing campaign from members of Congress to Chinese officials.

"It's been about 40 days with no formal charge," said Kerry Huang of San Lorenzo, a member of Friends of Charles Li.

She said the Chinese government has offered no response.

Li is only allowed to see the U.S. ambassador to China once each month for 30 minutes.

Li's friends say his practice of Falun Gong, which stresses meditation and exercise based on "truthfulness, compassion and tolerance," was the reason for his arrest. His parents knew nothing about his arrest until the last two weeks.

Political activity is not something we participate in," Huang said.

"They arrested him right away when he arrived at the airport."

But the Chinese government apparently doesn't take the same view.

Even though the practice is thousands of years old, it was outlawed in China in 1999 by President Jiang Zemin. Hundreds have been killed and thousands jailed and tortured if they are believed to participate in Falun Gong. More than 100 million people practice Falun Gong worldwide, Huang said.

"In America, we have freedom and high moral standards. ... That's why we are driving across the state," she said, referring to Tuesday's stop in Sacramento and plans to spend today and Friday in Southern California. "We want to let people know about this man being detained illegally in China."

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/6320207p-7269798c.html