(Minghui.org) Nearly 120 Falun Dafa practitioners lined up in front of the Chinese Embassy in Budapest on August 22, 2016, carrying musical instruments.

The band arrived at the embassy after a 3 km (1.9 mile) march, which started at Hungary’s Parliament House. The music they played showcased the exceptionally rich culture of China that the Chinese Communist Party has tried to destroy over the past decades.

Many band members are not only musicians but also refugees from China who cannot return to their homeland due to the brutal persecution of Falun Dafa by the the Chinese communist regime. Some of the participants have even been imprisoned in forced labor camps in China for refusing to renounce their faith.

The Tian Guo Marching Band in front of the Chinese Embassy in Budapest.

Torture Victim Speaks Out

After playing music for about 15 minutes, a young Chinese man stepped forward and announced to the embassy staff, “This great Tian Guo Marching Band has arrived. One of our pieces is entitled 'Good Fortune.' We hope to bring you good fortune.

“Do not commit wrongdoings for the [Communist] Party... Listen to our music. Listen with your hearts. Herein lies the good fortune we have brought you,” he continued.

A young man, a survivor of forced labor camps in China, addresses the Chinese Embassy.

Appeal for Wang Zhiwen

Many practitioners held banners during the band’s performance, including banners appealing for the immediate release of Wang Zhiwen, who was one of the first Falun Dafa Association coordinators in Mainland China. Wang was detained on July 20, 1999, the day Jiang Zemin (then head of the Chinese Communist Party) launched his violent campaign against Falun Dafa.

Wang has spent nearly 15 years in prison, where he was tortured. His teeth have been damaged, his fingernails were pierced by needles, and he was deprived of sleep for a week at a time. In addition, he was locked up in a tiny cell where he was handcuffed and beaten for extended periods of time.

Since his release from prison, Mr. Wang has been under constant surveillance by the authorities. His family attempted to bring him to the United States, but Chinese border agents destroyed Wang’s passport as he attempted to flee the country with his family.

Many other practitioners have had similar experiences of family members persecuted in China for their belief. Their only hope is for practitioners outside of China to speak up for the victims.

“Please release Wang Zhiwen”

Continuing Peaceful Efforts

The president of the Hungarian Falun Dafa Association said in his remarks, “We are not appealing to organizations, but rather to individual people’s hearts. We truly hope that those people who are actively or passively supporting this persecution will come to their senses and stop their wrongdoing.

“There are good examples of Chinese police refusing to follow direct orders to persecute practitioners. Other officials have also declined to follow orders to persecute Falun Dafa practitioners, and even asked others to stop following such orders. We would like to encourage more collaborators to stop their wrongdoings, so they can see through the Communist Party’s propaganda, which is infamous for slandering victims and justifying criminal acts against Falun Dafa practitioners.

“Falun Dafa practitioners are not criminals and do not deserve to be punished or killed because their beliefs do not align with the Communist Party ideology. These victims are not foolish or weak for not resorting to violence to oppose the persecution. Falun Dafa’s principles are Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. We live according to these principles and use peaceful means to respond to the brutal persecution.”

Category: Rallies & Protests