France: Press Conference After a Lawsuit is Filed Against the Chinese New Year Arrests in Paris

On February the 5th 2004, the French Falun Gong Association organised a press conference to announce that they would file a complaint against the arrest of Falun Gong practitioners by the French police, which occurred under tremendous pressure from Chinese officials during the Chinese New Year. The lawyer representing Falun Gong, Mr. L.L. Forster, is famous in France for dealing with the Armenian genocide. As a token of support for Falun Gong, the lawyer wore a yellow scarf during the press conference, one of the scarves that practitioners wear to convey the peaceful message of Falun Gong and that one of the police’s primary reasons for arresting practitioners in Paris, who were told “Yellow is illegal today”.

The press conference was attended by five major national and international media organisations. They asked questions about the complaint. The Association answered that there was absolutely no reason to treat practitioners roughly during the Chinese President’s visit and that it was the result of heavy pressure from the Chinese officials. They hoped the French government will apologise for this incident, which does not present a positive image of France in the field of human rights. By filing a complaint, the French Falun Dafa Association intends to ask for an investigation into the origin of these unjustified acts and hopes to encourage the French authorities to return to upholding the values and interests of France, represented in the 3 French statutes of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

A Falun Gong practitioner from the United Kingdom revealed how she was arrested during the Chinese New Year festivities in Paris. She read a joint statement written together with others who had been arrested. By conveying a peaceful but firm message she called on the French authorities to rectify the situation and uphold the democratic and righteous qualities that are dear to the hearts of French people and their government.