URGENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS CONFERENCE

WHAT:  Press Conference to call for the immediate release of Poet Zhu Yufu who was taken away

               by China's Public Security Bureau police Beijing time September 17, 2018 at 10:30a..m.

             新聞發布會呼籲中國立 即釋放朱虞夫

WHEN:  Press Conference Monday, September 17, 2018  4:00 p.m.

WHERE:   Consulate of the Peoples Republic of China

                  434 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, Ca. 90020

CONTACT and Information: Ann Lau, Chair, Visual Artists Guild 310-433-0697

Zhu Yufu is the recipient of Visual Artists Guild's 2013 Champion of Freedom of Speech Award.

Statement by Julie Zhu, the daughter of Zhu Yufu, 朱虞夫女兒聲明在下

    "September 17, 2018, 10:30 a.m. Beijing Time, my father, Zhu Yufu, the Chinese Democracy activist, poet and artist Zhu Yufu, was taken home by Hangzhou's Public Security Bureau.

    My father, recently participated in the WeChat group "Conscience Art Auction". His painting and calligraphy work received 7,000 yuan.  My father donated all his proceeds to the families of those prisoners of conscience in China.  My father was warned in advance not to attend the auction.  The Security Bureau said,"You yourself do not even have enough to eat, how can you donate to others?" My father said, "It is true that I have no food, but the families of other victims are worse than mine."  The Security Bureau said, "If you persist, the consequences will be at your own hands."

    However, my father insisted on participating in the auction. The next day, he was taken away five Public Security Bureau police.  His house was ransacked and he is suspected of the crime of "subversion of state power."

    My father is a veteran pro-democracy activist and joined the democratic movement in 1979. In June 1998, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for "inciting subversion of state power." In 2007, he was sentenced to two years in prison for "obstructing public service." In 2012, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for "inciting subversion of state power" and deprived of political rights for three years.

    In March this year, 2018, he was released from prison. During his imprisonment, my father suffered many illnesses. His life is very difficult and have been constantly harassed by the Public Security Bureau police who visited his house many times. 

    My father though he himself suffers many difficulties, he still pays attention to the families of those prisoners of conscience.

    My father's generosity of spirit and his charitable donations resulted in his current repression from the Hangzhou's Public Security Bureau should cause great indignation and concern from all people around the world.

    Within China and within the international community, I am sure people will condemn this inhuman act and call on China to immediately release my father, Zhu Yufu.

朱虞夫女兒朱利 陳 述

北京時間九月十七日上午十點半，我的父親中國民主黨人、藝術家朱虞夫先生被抄家同時被杭州國保帶走。

我父親朱虞夫日前參加微信群“良心藝術品拍賣會”，他的一幅字畫作品“諸葛亮前後出師表長卷”拍得七千元人民幣，並將拍賣所得全部捐獻給良心 犯家屬，因此遭到打壓。事前朱虞夫曾經接獲有關部門警告，禁止他參加拍賣會。國保說：你已經連飯都吃不上了，怎麼還有錢捐給別人。我爸爸說： 我確實是沒飯吃，但是其他民主人士的家族比我更困難。國保說：如果你要堅持的話，後果自負。然而父親繼續堅持拍賣。第二天就被5個國保抄家並 帶走。這次被抄家和羈押的罪名是“涉嫌顛覆國家政權”。

朱虞夫先生是資深異議人士，1979年投身民主運動。 1998年6月因組建中國民主黨被以“煽動顛覆國家政權罪”判刑七年，2007年被以“妨礙公務罪”判刑兩年，2012年再次被以“煽動顛覆國家政權罪” 判刑七年，剝奪政治權利三年，今年三月剛剛刑滿出獄。長期監獄生涯，朱虞夫多種疾病纏身，出獄以後，沒有醫療保險，生活困頓。但是他仍然以極 大的熱情和愛心關注良心犯家屬。國保曾多次上門，進行無理騷擾。

朱虞夫先生因慈善捐款再次遭受有關當局打壓，已引起全國和世界各地異議人士的極大憤慨和關注，也一定會遭到國際社會的強烈譴責。

PRESS ADVISORY:支持中國宗教自由
WHAT:  The Great Firewall of China Marching Brigade of Visual Artists Guild will join the Pasadena Doo-Dah parade
              To bring attention to the persecution in China of Uighur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, Underground Catholic Church and House Church Christians
              新 彊維吾爾族 , 西臧佛教徒,中國地下 天主教徒 ,中 國家庭基督教徒
WHEN: Sunday, November 18, 2018, 11 a.m.
               Available for interview starting at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Pasadena Doo Dah parade, see Map below                                                                                  
MEET:   On Nina St, between Altadena Dr. and Vindeo Ave. at Pasadena, see Map below

CONTACT INFORMATION:  Visual Artists Guild, Ann Lau 310-433-0697, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

* Since 2016, there are an estimated a million Uighurs Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, China's westernmost province, who have been put in re-education camps which China's Communist Party claim as "vocational centers".
* Chinese Muslims are forced to undergo indoctrination and rejection of their belief.
* China has pressured Egypt and Turkey to forcibly repatriate Chinese Muslims; upon their arrival in China, they immediately disappear.
* One of the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist academies was demolished last year.
* Tibetan monks and nuns have been imprisoned.  Many Tibetan monks and nuns have committed self-immolation as a desperate act.
* Catholic bishops and priests and Christian pastors who refuse to follow the state mandate, are often put in jail.
* Churches are stripped of outside crosses and statues.  Many churches have also been ordered destroyed by the authorities.
* Jesus and saints' pictures are replaced with Mao and Xi Jinping's pictures at the Church altar
* No one under 18 is allowed to enter a church.
* No discussions of the Bible or meetings on Christian doctrine are allowed outside the church.
* Since the Vatican signed an agreement with China in September, 2018, it effectively gives the government of China defacto authority over the underground Catholics and the underground Catholic clergies.
*Catholic clergies have been disappeared to force them to undergo indoctrination to follow China's religious policies
* Destruction of Catholic shrines and other houses of worship go unabated.
* See poem written below by a Catholic priest

一位被迫仍在「学习」的神父写了几句感慨诗句，但从中却能看到神父们面对如此困境时的决心 与无奈：

良知底线的壁垒已被拆毁，

过去，即使是乱世，仍可造就忠贞，

而今，孕育英雄的土壤已不存在，

给勇士们荣誉的颁奖台也毁坏了，

啊！苦苦持守多年的信仰！

为你，今天我可祭献什么？

无语，上天可否垂怜！

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO JOIN VISUAL ARTISTS GUILD
           On Sunday, November 18, 2018 in Pasadena, California
                       2018年11月18日，星期日
           TO SUPPORT FREEDOM OF RELIGION IN CHINA
                         支持中國宗教自由
           Please help bring attention to the persecution in China of
                 *Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province 新彊維吾爾族                 
                 *Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet 西臧佛教徒                 
                 *Catholics in the Underground Church 中國地下天主教徒
                 *House Church Christians 中國家庭基督教徒

WHERE:    Pasadena Doo-Dah Parade – FREE, see map below
                       We are one of the groups in the parade:
                       The Great Firewall of China Marching Brigade.

DATE:        Sunday, November 18, 2018
                   The parade starts at 11:00 a.m.

TIME:        Do join us and be part of the parade.
                  Please be there by 10 a.m. to practice our skits.                                                                                    

Volunteers are needed!

No experience necessary              
Our aim is to present the current situation in China in a way that is readily understood by the general audience.

+(4) people to dress as Chinese police
+(2) people represent Uighur Muslims
+(2) people represent Tibetans
+(2) people represent Underground Catholics
+(2) people represent House Church Christians
+Others are welcome to join in carrying signs on human rights (white T-shirt, dark pants.)

MEET:   On Nina St, between Altadena Dr. and Vindeo Ave. at Pasadena, see Map below

INFORMATION:  Visual Artists Guild, Ann Lau 310-433-0697, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

* Since 2016, there are an estimated a million Uighurs Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, China's westernmost province, who have been put in re-education camps which China's Communist Party claim as "vocational centers".
* China has pressured Egypt and Turkey to forcibly repatriate Chinese Muslims; upon their arrival in China, they immediately disappear.
* One of the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist academies was demolished last year.
* Tibetan monks and nuns have been imprisoned.  Many Tibetan monks and nuns have committed self-immolation as a desperate act.
* Catholic bishops and priests and Christian pastors who refuse to follow the state mandate, are often put in jail.
* Churches are stripped of outside crosses and statues.  Many churches have also been ordered destroyed by the authorities.
* Jesus and saints' pictures are replaced with Mao and Xi Jinping's pictures at the Church altar
* No one under 18 is allowed to enter a church.
* No discussions of the Bible or meetings on Christian doctrine are allowed outside the church.