10,000 signatures for the human rights of Tibetans, Uighurs, Mongols and supporters of Falun Gong protest with banners and torches in front of the Chinese Embassy in Berlin

Together with representatives of the Tibetans, Uighurs, Mongols and supporters of Falun Gong the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) will be handing a petition on Thursday (07.08.) to the Chinese Embassy with about 10,000 signatures for the observance of human rights in the People´s Republic of China . "We want one day before the opening of the Olympic Games to set once more a clear signal with an impressive campaign against the increasing persecution of these ethnic groups and religious communities", stated the GfbV on Monday. "For them there will be no "Games of Joy". They have had to suffer too much repression during the preparations."

Many of those taking part in the campaign will be wearing traditional dress and in addition they will be drawing attention by carrying high banners with Chinese characters. With this they are calling for hope to be given to the Tibetans, Uighurs, Mongols and supporters of Falun Gong for an improvement in their human rights situation. The burning torches, which are similar to those of the Olympic Games, will then be extinguished in a tub full of water. This symbolic gesture is intended as protest against the fact that Peking has not kept the promise made before the Games to improve the human rights situation.

Since the mass arrests following the disturbances in March 2008 more than 1000 Tibetans arrested are still missing. More than 1500 Uighurs have been arrested for political reasons in the past few weeks. Supporters of Falun Gong are still being tortured and murdered. 3,160 of them have died a violent death in the past nine years in the custody of the security forces.

We cordially invite you and your colleagues from the picture-desks to our

Human rights campaign with Tibetans, Uighurs, Mongolians and supporters of Falun Gong on Thursday, 7th August 2008 at 10.30 a.m. in front of the Embassy of the People´s Republic of China / Jannowitzbrücke

The GfbV can be reached in Berlin at tel. ++49 (0)175 15 68 or ++49 (0) 151 18 45 12 84. Between 80 and 100 participants are expected in the

campaign.