(Minghui.org) April 25, 2026, was the 27th anniversary of the April 25 appeal in Beijing. Falun Dafa practitioners held a rally in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, on April 11, 2026, to mark the occasion and to call for the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution to end. Many lawmakers issued statements to pass legislation to hold the CCP accountable and condemn the escalating transnational repression.

Practitioners did the exercises in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, on April 11, 2026. During the rally, practitioner representative Duane Harper said the CCP’s repression expands outside of China. He gave an example of Shen Yun Performing Arts receiving bomb and shooting threats, and said that this signaled an escalation of Beijing’s transnational repression. He called on the international community to speak out and prevent this persecution from spreading.

Group practice in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC ,on April 11, 2026

House Representatives Call for Legislation

Several members of Congress who have long focused on human rights issues expressed their views through formal statements. Representative Chris Smith, Co-chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China (CECC), paid tribute to the practitioners’ courage. He noted that the CCP’s persecution that has gone on for almost three decades will be regarded as one of the most serious human rights abuses of the 21st century. Mr. Smith stated that he will continue advocating for the passage of the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2025 (H.R. 1503) to ensure that human rights concerns remain a central priority in U.S.–China relations.

Representative Michael McCaul, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement strongly condemning the CCP’s trampling of religious freedom and affirming that he will stand firmly with the victims.

Several US Members of Congress issued statements supporting Falun Gong practitioners worldwide and pledging to hold the CCP accountable until this persecution is brought to an end. Top row, from left to right: Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX); bottom row, from left to right: Representative Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Representative Neal Dunn (R-FL), Representative Zach Nunn (D-IA).

Cross-Committee Lawmakers Condemn Human Rights Violations

In addition to members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, lawmakers from various committees also joined the ranks of support:

US Senator Rick Scott criticized the CCP as the world’s most egregious human rights violator, and demanded that it be held legally accountable for heinous acts such as forced organ harvesting.

Representative Zach Nunn, a member of the Select Committee on the CCP, pledged to continue working within the committee until Beijing is held accountable and this persecution is brought to an end.

Representative Neal Dunn commended the peaceful manner in which practitioners upheld their faith in the face of repression 27 years ago, and stated that the CCP remains the greatest threat to global religious freedom to this day.

Representative Tom Tiffany expressed deep concern regarding the CCP’s egregious track record of long-standing persecution against religious minorities, dissidents, and journalists, and he reiterated the US stance in support of the exercise of freedom of conscience.

Background: What Is the April 25 Appeal?

Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries worldwide. Millions of people have embraced the teachings—which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance as well as five gentle exercises—and experienced improved health and well-being.

On April 23 & 24, 1999, police officials in Tianjin, a city near Beijing, assaulted and arrested dozens of practitioners who had gathered outside a magazine office to discuss errors in a recently-published article attacking Falun Dafa. As word spread of the arrests and more practitioners inquired with officials, they were told they had to take their appeals to Beijing.

The following day, April 25, some 10,000 Falun Dafa practitioners spontaneously gathered at the Central Appeals office in Beijing, as they had been instructed by Tianjin officials. The gathering was peaceful and orderly. Several Falun Dafa representatives were called in to meet with Chinese Premier, Zhu Rongji, and members of his staff. That evening, practitioners' concerns were answered. The arrested practitioners in Tianjin were released and everyone went home.

Jiang Zemin, former head of the CCP, perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology and issued an order to ban Falun Dafa on July 20, 1999.

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners due to the persecution over the years; the actual number is suspected to be much higher. More have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.

There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply the organ transplant industry.