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| News From Europe >> Voices of Support |
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| Local Government | Government Statements | Politicians | European Parliament | United Nations | NGOs | Others | |
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| October 2002 |
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| Financial Times: LEADER - Securing Hong Kong - Proposed new legislation could threaten the city's genius [01.10.2002] |
"When the British government handed Hong Kong back to China a little over five years ago it promised to do everything possible to help preserve the city's civil liberties. Now is the time for London to step in to fulfil this promise." |
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| BBC: China: Man arrested in Shandong over Falun Gong broadcasts [01.10.2002] |
"Public Security officials in Yantai city arrested Song Tao, of Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, on 19 July, according to the Jinan-based Qilu Evening News. Song was accused of [tapping into] a cable television channel in Jiamusi and beaming footage of the banned group on 20 April." |
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| September 2002 |
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| EU Foreign Minister: “We will follow the developments in Hong Kong very closely” [28.09.2002] |
MEP Olivier Dupuis put forward a written question to the European Commission in August, regarding the political trial and false conviction of 16 Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong. Here is the reply that he received from the EU's Foreign Affairs Commissioner Mr Chris Patten. |
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| Morgunbladid (Icelandic newspaper): Representatives of Falun Gong Finish Meeting with Icelandic authorities [19.09.2002] |
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| Morgunbladid (Icelandic newspaper): Representatives of Falun Gong meet with Icelandic authorities [19.09.2002] |
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| MEP questions Denmark Minister about bowing to Chinese pressure on Art Performance [17.09.2002] |
"I believe Falun Gong to be a peaceful organisation, which should be allowed to practice its philosophical system in a democratic society. I would be grateful if you could look into this matter for me and comment on the policy of the Danish Government on the issue of freedom of religion. In particular, has the Danish Government changed its position as a result of pressure from the Chinese Government?" |
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| BBC World: Extract from “Click China” [16.09.2002] |
"There is a danger of having too many false expectations about China...some of the opportunities may not be as big as people think." It is a stark warning to foreign IT businesses that see the mirage of a massive, billion strong market. |
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| Letter to Practitioner from Irish Ministry of Foreign Affairs [15.09.2002] |
"The Irish Government takes the human rights concerns of Falun Gong members in China very seriously. Both the Taoiseach and the Minister have raised the issue on a number of occasions with the Chinese authorities." |
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| Amnesty International Holland Begins Campaign Together with Two Other Dutch NGOs [15.09.2002] |
Prior to their campaign, Amnesty dedicated their two-monthly newsletter on human rights and philosophy completely to religious freedom in China. Falun Gong was extensively covered in the newsletter and mentioned as one of the most severely persecuted |
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| The Guardian: Google is back in China but don't try asking any difficult questions [15.09.2002] |
“China's web censors have lifted their ban on access to the popular international Google search engine - but they have ways of making sure no one asks the wrong question.”
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| Letter from European Friends of Falun Gong to the President of Ukraine [13.09.2002] |
"We would further urge the Ukrainian authorities not to be influenced in its decisions by pressure from China, and to stand fast against a brutal regime, which has shown no mercy in its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in its own country, and which is now worryingly trying to widen its evil influence by persuading other countries to act likewise." |
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| European Parliament resolution: "Extremely concerned" with China Human Rights [12.09.2002] |
The resolution "Urges the [European] Commission and [EU] member states to exert a more effective control on products coming from China, making clear to the Chinese authorities that the EU can in no way accept products coming from forced labour camps; calls on China to end to this practice." |
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| Financial Times: China steps up curbs on internet. [11.09.2002] |
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| Swiss Law Firm Expresses Support for Swiss Falun Gong Practitioners' Outstanding Action in Hong Kong [10.09.2002] |
"I hereby take this opportunity to congratulate you on your outstanding actions all over the world, especially in Hong Kong, to protect human rights and to defend mankind's basic rights." |
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| BBC Monitoring Story: Chinese circular on increased security until mid-2003 reported [09.09.2002] |
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| UK: Statement by Member of Parliament Glenda Jackson [09.09.2002] |
"I remain deeply concerned with the treatment of Falun Gong leaders and adherents in China. Such treatment is in direct contravention of provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, signed by China in October 1999, but which it is yet to ratify." |
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| De Volkskrant (Holland): China Closes Down Search Engines Again [08.09.2002] |
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| BBC Monitoring: China's Falun Gong [pre-empt] another television signal [06.09.2002] |
Text of report in English by Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post web site on 6 September |
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| UK Foreign Ministry raise Falun Gong issue with the new Chinese Ambassador [06.09.2002] |
In recent months, many UK politicians have voiced strong disapproval of the Chinese Embassy's propaganda and its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in the UK. In August, the UK Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Dr Denis MacShane, met the new Chinese Ambassador in London and raised the issue of Falun Gong. |
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| The Guardian: Engine trouble [06.09.2002] |
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| BBC: China criticised for ban on Google [06.09.2002] |
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| Financial Times: Search engine moves to lift Chinese block [05.09.2002] |
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| The Times: Oliver August in Beijing: life without Google [05.09.2002] |
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| BBC: Behind China's internet Red Firewall [04.09.2002] |
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| BBC: Google fights Chinese ban [04.09.2002] |
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| August 2002 |
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| Wiesbaden Courier: Hong Kong Government Undermines Human Rights With the Verdict Against Falun Gong Practitioners [01.09.2002] |
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| BBC Monitoring: Eight Chinese teenage illegal immigrants surrender to police in France [01.09.2002] |
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| BBC Monitoring: Noted Chinese Dissident Bao Tong Slams Party For Exploiting Peasants [31.08.2002] |
"Books that you are not allowed to read of course include Falun Gong books.[..] The contents of the books promote physical and spiritual training with true, kind, and forgiving feelings." |
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| Iceland Media Reports: Spokesmen of Falun Gong Visiting Iceland [28.08.2002] |
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| The Scotsman: Falun Gong in city centre protest march [27.08.2002] |
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| Dagbladet (Norwegian daily newspaper): The opposition in mental hospitals [27.08.2002] |
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| UK: Words From a Non-Practitioner: Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong and Falun Gong Practitioners. [25.08.2002] |
Jiang Zemin's Regime is in blatant breach of human rights. The Chinese government has ordered the arrest and torture of it’s own citizens; people who’s only crime is the wish to meditate and read a book that helps them to become more tolerant and kind. |
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| Positive Health : FALUN GONG: A SPIRITUAL FORM OF QIGONG [23.08.2002] |
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| Ireland: British Embassy in Dublin Replies to Letter from Irish Falun Dafa Association [22.08.2002] |
"We do have serious concerns about human rights abuses against Falun Gong adherents in China. We have made it clear to the Chinese that their actions contravene the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which China has signed but not yet ratified." |
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| Sweden: Newspapers Report on Hong Kong Trial Result [21.08.2002] |
“We felt surprised at the verdict of the judge”, said Sharon Xu, “we would definitely urge him to change his wrong sentence and we are going to appeal until our innocence is affirmed.” To Hong Kong, this was a black day. |
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| BBC: UN's Robinson "concerned" over China [20.08.2002] |
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| BBC: Falun Gong to appeal HK convictions [20.08.2002] |
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| Scotsman: Meditating on peaceful resolution [20.08.2002] |
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| Germany: Bonn's Leading Newspaper Reports on a Journey of Appeal on Bicycle from the Neckar to the Rhine [19.08.2002] |
 It was reported that four Falun Gong practitioners cycled from Heidelberg to Bonn. Along the way, they collected signatures protesting the Jiang regime's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
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| International Association for Human Rights Press Release: China extends Falun Gong Persecution to Hong Kong [19.08.2002] |
This guilty verdict does not merely recognize and affirm the persecution in Mainland China, but has extended it to Hong Kong, thereby effectively and dramatically worsening the human rights situation in China itself. |
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| Statement from Lord Moyne Following the Unjust Conviction of 16 Practitioners in Hong Kong [19.08.2002] |
"This case showed that the distinction between Hong Kong and Mainland China agreed in 1997 is a sham...It is to be feared that this will be the start of many tragedies as, step by step, Hong Kong is absorbed into the evil system of tyranny under which thousands of religious people are imprisoned, tortured, and sometimes murdered." |
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| Human Rights Watch: The Falun Gong: New Targets of Psychiatric Abuse [Excerpt] [18.08.2002] |
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| UK: Former Deputy Under Secretary of State, Lord Thurlow, Condemns the Unjust Verdict in Hong Kong [17.08.2002] |
 "The verdict showed that Hong Kong no longer has the freedom and rights that were ensured by the Hong Kong Basic Laws signed by both China and United Kingdom in 1997. It showed that the Hong Kong government received pressure from Jiang’s regime and sacrificed its people's human rights to submit to this pressure."
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| BBC Interview: China Abuses Mental Hospitals [17.08.2002] |
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| UK: Strong Public Support As Practitioners Call for Concern about Hong Kong’s Politicized Prosecution [17.08.2002] |
In London, the passers-by at Chinese Embassy in UK asked for materials in droves. They also signed their names to support Falun Gong practitioners. Some of them even practiced sitting meditation along practitioners. |
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| UK: Speech of European Friends of Falun Gong at London Press Conference [16.08.2002] |
"Hong Kong must not be allowed to go down the same path of persecution which has so blighted life in China over the last three years. Hong Kong must stand up to Jiang Zemin and his murderous treachery. Hong Kong, you must release these 16 innocent practitioners in the name of ‘Truth, Compassion and Forbearance’" |
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| European Parliamentarians Express That They Will Do Their Utmost To Stop The Persecution [15.08.2002] |
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| Letter from a Representative of the U.N. Freedom of Religion Association to Falun Gong Practitioners in Switzerland [15.08.2002] |
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| BBC: Hong Kong Falun Gong Practitioners on Hunger Strike to Protest the Trial (Photo) [15.08.2002] |
 The banner reads, "Strongly Condemn Jiang Zemin for Coercing Hong Kong Government to Persecute and Wrongfully Accuse Falun Gong Practitioners"
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| UK: Greater London Assembly Member Signs Petition Against Politically-Motivated Sham Trial in Hong Kong [14.08.2002] |
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