Members of the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association launch an islandwide bicycle journey yesterday to enlist public support for a campaign to push Chinese authorities to release detained practitioners. (CNA)
Chinese authorities Monday quietly released the detained Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioner Lin Hsiao-kai shortly after Lin's family and his religious fellows brought his detainment to the public last week.
Lin's wife, Chen Shu-ya told the media yesterday that Lin arrived in the central Taiwan county of Changhwa, sometime between 7 to 8 p.m. on Monday. The Chinese government did not offer any explanation to Lin's release.
"He needs more time to calm himself down. He has totally no idea about what had happened in Taiwan," Chen said. "He must have been extremely tense there."
Lin, who entered China to visit friends on September 29, failed to make his return trip on October 8. His wife called a news conference at the Legislature October 21, pleading for help in rescuing her husband and urging Chinese authorities to release Lin immediately.
Yeh Huei-te, chairmen of the Shanghai-based Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, who has been dealing with Chinese authorities for Lin's case, said that Shanghai authorities have remained totally silent on Lin's release.
"Since the case is too sensitive in China, no one dares probe for reasons," Yeh said.
The semi-official Strait Exchange Foundation, meanwhile, said that public pressure on the Chinese government may have helped Lin's release, but they are keen to learn the reason for his freedom.
"We hope China can look into Lin's case. If he is innocent, they should retract the accusation against him," said Patricia Lin, chief-secretary of the SEF.
Meanwhile the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association launched an islandwide bicycle journey yesterday to enlist public support for a campaign to push Chinese authorities to release some 20 China-born TFDA members who have been detained during cross-strait visits.
Some 20 TFDA members will cycle around the island to seek the signatures of local people in support of their campaign.