Wenyi Wang

Doctor Wang Wenyi (] who has lived in the United States for 20 years of her life, and who worked as a journalist for the "Epoch Times", where she specialised in medical issues since about 2000.cite news|accessdate=2006-05-20|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/21/AR2006042101429.html|title=Falun Gong Activist Defiant After Arrest|publisher=Washington Post] Wang had helped researching "Epoch Times" articles on organ harvesting.

Protests

In 2001, she penetrated a security cordon in Malta during a visit of former Chinese President Jiang Zemin and accosted him." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/20/AR2006042001946.html China and Its President Greeted by a Host of Indignities] ", Dana Milbank, The Washington Post, Friday, 21 April 2006; Page A02]

On 20 April 2006, during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States, she used her journalist pass to gain access to a White House lawn press briefing. She unfurled protest banners and loudly shouted for over two minutes, by some accounts, during a speech given by Mr. Hu.cite news|accessdate=2006-05-20|url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/21/hu.heckler/index.html|title=Protester charged with Harassing Chinese leader|publisher=CNN]

She shouted comments in Chinese and English, also directed toward American President George W. Bush, such as "President Bush, stop him from killing" and "President Bush, stop him from persecuting the Falun Gong." CNN and BBC feeds of Hu's visit were interrupted by state censors in China, blacking out the protester's action.cite news|accessdate=2006-05-20|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4929066.stm|title= US protocol crumbles on Hu visit|publisher=BBC News|author=Jonathan Beale|date=21 April 2006] Secret Service ushered Wang away from the media platform. Wang's attorney stated that there was no evidence Hu heard the statements uttered, claiming that the scuffles to take away her banner and the attempt to silence her could have caused Hu to pause in his remarks.

"The Epoch Times" reported that Wang helped research articles on organ harvesting at Sujiatun. She was "very overstressed"," "Epoch Times" said, "When she saw Bush shake the hand of the Chinese leader, she felt obligated to speak out". At the time of the protest, she was not a US citizen, and could have faced deportation.

After spending the night in jail, Wang was formally charged on 21 April 2006 with "knowingly and willfully intimidating, coercing, threatening or harassing … a foreign official performing his duties," a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in prison and a fine of $5,000. Bush apologised to the Chinese for the protest incident [Ed Henry & Erika Dimmler [http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/21/bush.china/index.html Bush apologizes to Hu for protester] , CNN, 21 April 2006] ; Epoch Times also made an apology [cite news|accessdate=2006-05-20|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4925704.stm|title= Bush presses China over currency|publisher=BBC News|date=21 April 2006] to the US President.

Wang's statement to reporters said: "What I did was say just a few words at a moment in history. It was an act of conscience and an act of civil disobedience." She was released without bail pending further proceedings. [cite news|accessdate=2006-05-20|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FAE5B340-5969-4843-8E72-85DEF074BD6D.htm|title=White House heckler charged|publisher=Aljazeera]

She was charged with disorderly conduct.On 21 June 2006, the U.S. Court in Washington D.C. dropped all charges against Dr. Wang. [cite news|accessdate=2006-07-08|url=http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7003996609|title=Chinese President Critic's Charges To Be Dumped|publisher=All Headline News]

On 5 July 2006, Dr. Wang attended a media conference at the National Press Club with two recently released Falun Gong prisoners by her side to accuse China of secret organ harvesting. "The civilized world must shout to China," said Wang [cite news|accessdate=2006-07-08|url=http://www.upi.com/InternationalIntelligence/view.php?StoryID=20060705-030322-9244r|title=China accused of secret organ harvesting|publisher=United Press International, Inc] .

References

External links

* [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/160ymogj.asp?pg=1 Why Wang Wenyi Was Shouting] , Ethan Gutmann, Weekly Review
* [http://www.wenyiwang.org/ Free Wenyi]
* [http://www.johnbatchelorshow.com/audio.cfm Dr. Wang Wenyi, Chief Editor of Medical Life Journal and Member of the Falun Gong. Interviewed by John Batchelor]
* [http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-4-24/40734.html Statement by Dr. Wenyi Wang on why she protested at the White House, 24 April 2006]
* [http://www.nationalreview.com/nordlinger/nordlinger200603300722.asp "A Place Called Sujiatun,Are they killing Falun Gong, for their organs?"] By Jay Nordlinger, "National Review", 30 March 2006
* [http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=April&x=20060416141157uhyggep0.5443231&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html US State Department's investigation of the concentration camp allegation]
* [http://www.usembassy.it/pdf/other/RL33437.pdf US Congressional Research Services report on unannounced visit to alleged Falun Gong death camp (section CRS-7)]
* [http://cipfg.org/en/index.php?news=33 C-SPAN Interviews Falun Gong Spokesperson]