Chinese Agents Disrupt Falun Gong Display in Malaysia Amid New Wave of Global Threats, UK Family Rescue Success

Dear Reader,

In August, Falun Gong practitioners worldwide faced a surge of threats, intimidation, and fabricated bomb scares. From the White House to Washington, D.C.’s Catholic University, and even Taiwan and Malaysia, anonymous actors escalated impersonation tactics that falsely cast practitioners as violent—underscoring a troubling global pattern of transnational repression. Meanwhile, in Sichuan, 58-year-old practitioner Yao Jiaxiu was sentenced to five years in prison after already enduring more than a decade of torture and abuse for her faith.

At the same time, there was a rare success: after years of advocacy, Ms. Liu Pintong safely arrived in the United Kingdom through the Falun Dafa Information Center’s (FDIC) Family Rescue Campaign, reuniting with her son and regaining her freedom of belief. Her case highlights the life-saving impact of international attention.

Also in this issue:

• Malaysia: Falun Gong information site disrupted by group claiming links to a “China police station.” 

• FDIC has documented over 11 threats and false impersonations of Falun Gong practitioners issued in the month of August, bringing the total number of such incidents to 168 since March 2024, the majority targeting U.S. institutions and individuals.

• Finland: Global Chinese-language media report on former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s actions to threaten Falun Gong practitioners in Helsinki, as Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns the aggressive act.

As China’s leader Xi Jinping prepares to visit Malaysia for the ASEAN Summit in October, observers warn of heightened risks of harassment and pressure on local Falun Gong practitioners. The need for vigilance—and for democratic nations to stand firm—has never been greater.

FEATURE STORY

Left: Children in Kuala Lumpur read the same Falun Gong displays on August 14. Right: Video screenshot from August 15 showing a group claiming links to a “China police station” seizing those displays and banners, loading them into a van, and driving away.

What’s new? 

On August 15, at Malaysia’s National Monument (Tugu Negara), a group of nine Chinese nationals disrupted a Falun Gong information site by seizing banners and a large meditation display from Ms. Yong, a retired practitioner who was alone at the site. Witnesses reported the group identified themselves as connected to a “China police station.” The incident was filmed, and Ms. Yong has filed a police report. Malaysian authorities confirmed an investigation is underway.

“This should not happen in Malaysia. Malaysia is a country governed by the rule of law,” said Ms. Yong, urging authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Why does it matter? 

This brazen daytime act is a textbook case of transnational repression. A group claiming ties to Chinese authorities openly interfered with a spiritual display in Malaysia, raising serious questions about sovereignty, public safety, and freedom of belief. “The fact that a group would claim to act on behalf of Chinese authorities while interfering in a public space in Malaysia is deeply concerning,” said Levi Browde, executive director of the Falun Dafa Information Center. The timing is also significant: Local practitioners fear harassment may escalate ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s scheduled visit for the ASEAN Summit in October.

What else do you need to know?

The Malaysia incident is part of a wider pattern. According to the BBC, former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying recently confronted Falun Gong practitioners in Finland. In Taiwan, theaters hosting Shen Yun Performing Arts and human rights films have faced bomb threats traced to sources in China. In Russia, arrests and prosecutions of Falun Gong adherents have also drawn international concern. Together, these cases show the Chinese Communist Party exporting its campaign of intimidation far beyond China’s borders.

PERSECUTION IN CHINA

On Aug. 1, 58-year-old Yao Jiaxiu of Sichuan Province was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 20,000 yuan by the Xichang City People’s Court. Yao has already spent over a decade imprisoned for her faith, during which she endured severe torture and degrading abuse. Former guards forced inmates to stab her with needles, choke her to the brink of unconsciousness, and handcuff her to a bed frame for hours. She was also stripped, marked with the word “criminal,” and photographed under threat of online exposure.

Her latest trial followed her September 2024 arrest and relied on coerced testimony, despite her defense that practicing Falun Gong is protected under China’s Constitution. Yao’s case highlights a broader pattern: In the first half of 2025, at least 430 Falun Gong practitioners were sentenced across China, many to three years or more.

TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION

Between Aug. 3 and Aug. 21, a new wave of violent threats, impersonations, and intimidation incidents targeted Falun Gong practitioners and affiliated institutions worldwide. Messages were sent through online contact forms or by phone, often impersonating Falun Gong’s founder, practitioners, or affiliated organizations, and sought to implicate the group in terrorism. Targets included U.S. landmarks such as the White House, Dragon Springs in New York, and Catholic University of America, as well as institutions in Taiwan, Finland, and Malaysia.

On Aug. 21, an unidentified caller phoned in a bomb threat to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., falsely claiming to be a Falun Gong practitioner. The incident coincided with the start of Catholic University of America’s orientation week, prompting a rapid security response before the university confirmed the threat was false.

One message similarly echoed the impersonation tactic, warning: “On September 11, I will board a passenger plane as a traveler, put on the Falun Gong clothing, livestream the hijacking! Crash into the White House!!” No actual violence occurred, but these threats and intimidation attempts reflect a coordinated campaign to discredit Falun Gong and disrupt civic spaces. They bring the total number of documented anonymous threats since March 2024 to 171 worldwide, the majority targeting U.S.-based individuals and institutions.

FAMILY RESCUE

Thanks to international advocacy, Ms. Liu Pintong reunited with her son, Hu Xuanming, in England for the first time in years.

On July 14, Ms. Liu Pintong, a longtime Falun Gong practitioner from Sichuan, safely arrived in the United Kingdom after nearly a decade of detention, surveillance, and travel restrictions in China. Ms. Liu’s case was part of the Falun Dafa Information Center’s Family Rescue Campaign, which advocates for practitioners with relatives overseas. Her relocation to England reunites her with her son, graduate student Hu Xuanming, and allows her to speak freely for the first time in decades.

Ms. Liu had previously served multiple prison terms, suffering severe torture that left her disabled. Released in August 2024, she risked being barred from travel under China’s unwritten rule preventing former prisoners of conscience from leaving the country for five years. To avoid being stopped, she departed via Hong Kong on tickets purchased by a friend.

Her case drew international attention. In 2023, UK MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan wrote to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressing concern over her detention and affirming that the UK would “press [China] to immediately end serious violations of human rights.” Now in England, Ms. Liu says she has “regained [her] human and civil rights” and feels a responsibility to speak out for those still detained in China. She thanked the supporters who signed petitions on her behalf, adding: “Please don’t worry about me anymore. I will do my best going forward.”

The Family Rescue Campaign highlights Falun Gong practitioners in China who remain imprisoned or under surveillance simply for their beliefs—while their loved ones abroad fight for their freedom.

From mothers separated from their children to academics barred from leaving China, these open cases reveal the human cost of persecution and the urgent need for international advocacy. Each story is a reminder that global attention can make the difference between despair and reunion. Explore the open cases here and learn how you can help bring more families back together.

Chinese-Language Coverage: FDIC Exposé of CY Leung Reaches Global Media

On August 13, former Hong Kong Chief Executive and current CPPCC Vice Chairman Leung Chun-ying confronted Falun Gong practitioners meditating in Sibelius Park, Helsinki, issuing verbal threats and referencing surveillance databases. The Falun Dafa Information Center (FDIC) first documented the incident, which has since been condemned by Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and covered by outlets including BBC Chinese and NTD Chinese.

FDIC senior researcher Cynthia Sun observed: “What is truly remarkable is that such a senior CCP official could shamelessly admit to his role in persecuting Falun Gong in Hong Kong and China.” The incident marks the third recorded case of intimidation in the same park, underscoring a persistent campaign of harassment.