New Documentary on Shen Yun; 90-Year-Old Sentenced to Prison in China

Dear Reader,

This week, I walked a red carpet in New York City with my wife for the premiere of an award-winning documentary on an issue that has shaped my life and that of countless other Falun Gong practitioners: transnational repression. Over a year ago, I was interviewed by the filmmakers.

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Having lived with the reality of Chinese Communist Party-linked threats for over 26 years, seeing these experiences reflected on screen—alongside the stories of young artists and families facing similar intimidation—was a powerful reminder. What we track in our data and briefings is, at its core, a deeply human crisis affecting people right here on American soil.

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The film, Unbroken, captures the resilience of those targeted and underscores why this work—and your continued attention to it—matters.

Also in this issue:

• A 90-year-old man in Shandong was sentenced to two years for discussing Falun Gong on a bus.

• March 2026 saw a coordinated wave of bomb threats targeting Shen Yun performances globally.

• A new investigative book by Jan Jekielek, Killed to Order, examining state-led organ harvesting and persecution in China, is emerging as a bestseller.
  

​Finally, I’d like to share my recent video welcoming the introduction of the Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act in the Senate by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun

What’s new?

On March 24, Sincere Pictures premiered Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun with a red-carpet event and panel discussion at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City. The 80-minute documentary follows Shen Yun performers and their families as they navigate a global campaign of intimidation and interference linked to the Chinese Communist Party. The Falun Dafa Information Center’s Executive Director Levi Browde is featured in the film as both an expert and the parent of two dancers.

Why does it matter?

Set against the backdrop of escalating pressure on Shen Yun, the film offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how transnational repression impacts artists and families in the United States. Founded in America, Shen Yun seeks to revive traditional Chinese culture and present “China before communism”—a mission that has increasingly placed it at the center of Beijing’s efforts to suppress dissenting voices abroad.

What else do you need to know?

Amid this broader campaign, Unbroken examines the intersection of culture, fine arts, religious freedom, and foreign influence. Framed by the question, “What happens when a foreign power reaches into a free society, and the only defense is a stage?” the film highlights the resilience of young artists.

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​The documentary is available to stream for free on multiple platforms through April 12, 2026.

On March 24, Sincere Pictures premiered Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

90-Year-Old Sentenced for Talking about Falun Gong in Public

A nonagenarian in Jinan, Shandong Province, was sentenced to two years in prison simply for discussing Falun Gong on a public bus, according to reports from multiple sources published in March 2026—Minghui.org, Bitter Winter, and Weiquanwang. Despite his advanced age and severe hypertension, authorities proceeded with prosecution, conviction, and sentencing.

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The case mirrors findings in the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom 2026 Annual Report, published this month, which documents a disturbing trend of the CCP targeting elderly practitioners, often resulting in deaths in custody.

March 2026 Transnational Repression Update: Coordinated Bomb Threats & Diplomatic Defamation

As Shen Yun’s 2026 global touring season progressed, a coordinated wave of bomb threats targeted hosting theaters, ticketing services, Falun Gong–related sites, and public institutions across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Between March 11-16 alone, multiple threats warned of explosives and mass-casualty attacks if performances proceeded as scheduled, prompting evacuations and security responses in several locations.

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Although no physical harm was reported, these incidents reflect sustained and increasingly coordinated efforts to intimidate, disrupt, and discredit Falun Gong communities and their supporters worldwide. All incidents have been referred to law enforcement and remain under investigation.

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Alongside emergence of these threats, the Chinese Embassy in Mexico issued a public statement smearing the performance in an effort to discourage attendance, a classic example of state-led “diplomatic defamation.”

New Book Deciphers Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong and Its Implications for the United States

Drawing on two decades of reporting, journalist Jan Jekielek’s new book, Killed to Order: China’s Organ Harvesting Industry and the True Nature of America’s Biggest Adversary, provides a definitive exposé on the systematic persecution of Falun Gong.

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The book traces the China’s transplant industry’s rapid expansion to 2006, when whistleblowers first identified a “living donor pool” of detained Falun Gong practitioners. Jekielek connects his early English-language reporting at The Epoch Times with subsequent academic research and the 2019 China Tribunal findings, which concluded that Falun Gong practitioners are the primary source for China’s billion-dollar “kill-to-order” transplant infrastructure.

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Jekielek argues that the global silence on the issue reflects a broader “institutional capture” by the regime.

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Published on March 16, within weeks, the book made the #8 slot on the New York Times’ nonfiction bestseller list and was #1 in Amazon’s Communism and Socialism category.

Have you read this? Falun Gong: Timeline

For those seeking a comprehensive understanding of Falun Gong’s history and its complex relationship with the Chinese state, the Falun Gong: Timeline provided by the Falun Dafa Information Center serves as an essential resource. This detailed chronology tracks the practice from its public introduction in 1992 to the present day, offering verified insights into its rapid growth and the subsequent state-led suppression.

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The timeline highlights how the practice was initially embraced for its health benefits, noting that by 1998, a Chinese state study concluded that “Falun Gong has hundreds of benefits for the Chinese people and nation, and does not a bit of harm.” It also documents the shift in political climate, recording how even official sources once estimated there were “as many as 100 million” practitioners. By centralizing government documents, media reports, and first-hand accounts, this page provides a transparent factual foundation for anyone looking to understand where Falun Gong is from and the challenges it faces today.

On March 11, Senators Cruz (R-TX) and Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act. The bipartisan bill imposes sanctions on those responsible for forced organ harvesting in China and directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress on the CCP’s organ harvesting policies and transplant system.

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Levi Browde posted a video welcoming the bipartisan effort in the Senate, calling it “very encouraging news.” He emphasized that the United States should pass this act as swiftly as possible to join other nations in legislating against the horrific practice of forced organ harvesting in China—a campaign in which Falun Gong practitioners remain primary victims.