MEP: Article 23 widens Jiang persecution of Falun Gong to Hong Kong

A member of the European Parliament, Mr Roger Helmer, raised a parliamentary question to the European Commission on 20 November 2002, entitled “Persecution of Falun Gong practitioners”.

Mr Helmer said that Falun Gong is a peaceful lifestyle choice and asked the European Commission to confirm that it is aware of the “human rights abuses of peaceful Falun Gong practitioners in China”

Regarding the widely opposed proposals on Article-23 legislation in Hong Kong, he continued: “Can the Commission confirm it is aware of the controversial 'Article 23' legislation soon to be introduced in Hong Kong? The Commission may be aware that the 'anti-subversion' legislation would force Hong Kong to ban any organisation determined by China as a national security risk and would affect all dissident groups including Catholics and democracy activists. Would the Commission agree that this would be a huge violation of Hong Kong's autonomy and widen the field of persecution to yet more innocent Falun Gong practitioners?”

Mr Helmer also asked: “How will the Commission oppose China's introduction of Article 23 which will tend to limit the right to free speech and freedom of the press in Hong Kong?”