"...right now, what western society can do is keep exerting pressure on the Chinese government, spread information as often as possible, call on all world organisations like the UN and all democratic countries, to criticise and to slam the persecution and those who are behind it. We could explain to China that the leaders are digging their own graves by resorting to violence."

UK MEP John Bowis on the 30th May 2004 signed a petition calling on the French authorities to retain liberty in France after he heard from a Falun Gong practitioner in his London constituency about how she was arrested at a Chinese/French jointly sponsored event after the Chinese authority applied pressure on France.

“I am writing as a European Parliamentary Friend of Falun Gong to protest the arrest and handcuffing of practitioners who were peacefully demonstrating in the Champs Elysees on Saturday 24th January. There are serious allegations that this was done at the request of the Chinese Embassy...I find the allegations of giving in to pressure from the Chinese authorities anxious to deny any platform to protesters during the parade deeply regrettable."

A British MEP, Kris Davis, wrote to Falun Gong practitioners about a letter he sent to the French government, which stated, “France, please uphold freedom". This letter refers to when the French government, under pressure from China, arrested Falun Gong practitioners distributing flyers on the streets, because the flyers exposed the brutal persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China.

On the 30th of April 2004, UK member of the European Parliament Chris Davies wrote to Falun Gong practitioners in his constituency and enclosed a signed petition, which states the he "deeply regrets that the French government bowed to Chinese pressure, acted against the French values of liberty, equality, fraternity and arbitrarily arrested peaceful people who in no way had disburbed public order."

"For more than four years, in China, Falun Gong practitioners have been the target of a campaign of terror and genocide led by the ex-Party chief Jiang Zemin – more than 900 have been tortured to death, more than 100,000 incarcerated in forced labour camps without trial, thousands have been forced into psychiatric hospitals; women, children and the elderly are not spared. Jiang Zemin is being sued for torture, genocide and crimes against humanity in North America, Asia and Europe."

In January 2004, under pressure and deceit from Jiang’s regime, who are cruelly persecuting Falun Gong, the French police strayed from the truth and harassed Falun Gong practitioners in Paris. After the incident, Falun Gong practitioners enthusiastically clarified the truth to people from all levels of society, demanding that the responsible people take the legal burden and apologise to Falun Gong practitioners.

"The Liberal Democrat party recognise the on-going struggles of the Falun Gong practitioners, and have written to the UK government on their behalf in the past. I have also contacted the French authorities personally, and requested of the Directorate General of the National Police that an investigation into this matter be conducted and that steps be taken to ensure such a situation will not arise in the future."

“This cooperative human rights dialogue will make sense only after China has the sincerity to improve its human rights. Nonetheless, the cruel persecution participated and inflicted by all levels of the entire Chinese government system on Falun Gong has lasted more than four years. The facts showed that the Chinese government doesn’t have any sincerity to improve its human rights.”

"The allegations in question are that the Parisian authorities arrested, and not simply stopped for identity checks, handcuffed and detained several UK Falun Gong practitioners for up to five hours until after the afternoon’s parade had finished...As I stressed in my earlier letter, these allegations, if true, amount to a serious violation of basic human rights."

"Thank you for your recent letter regarding the arrest of the Falun Gong practitioners during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Paris. I too am horrified by the actions of the French authorities and have written to the French Ambassador to the EU to highlight my concerns. I have asked him to raise the matter with the French government and requested an apology from the French authorities for this episode."

"I wrote to the French Ambassador, Gerard Errera, on January 30th raising my concerns over the appalling treatment of the practitioners. Furthermore, I have asked that these allegations be investigated as soon as possible, and that the Parisian authorities clarify the grounds on which the arrests were made."

"Falun Gong adheres to the three principles of “Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance” and denying them the right to express these peaceful ideals is an obvious encroachment on their freedom of speech. Since Communist leader Jiang Zemin outlawed Falun Gong in 1999, 870 deaths have resulted as well as many more tortures and imprisonments. France’s contribution to this maltreatment of members of Falun Gong is disheartening and sets an extremely dangerous precedent."

"The blatant denial of the participation of Falun Gong groups in the New Years Parade and the repression of their right to expression and peaceful protest by the French authorities is shocking and wrong. That the French government might have conceded to the request of Jiang Zemin to suppress and silence Falun Gong is extremely worrying indeed."

"I am aware that Falun Gong practitioners have long endured brutal persecution by the Chinese authorities and I applaud your continuing peaceful efforts to protest and reform the regime’s actions. It is regrettable that members of your group must also endure maltreatment in France, a country that professes tolerance and human rights."

"The government should however also be voicing strong condemnation of the on-going persecution of Falun Gong in China. According to NGO reports the verified number of deaths of Falun Gong practitioners in China has now reached more than 880 people. New reports of brutal tortures continue to be received everyday from China. The Irish government should use their Presidency of the EU to take a stand and make a strong request urging China to desist in its persistent abuse of Falun Gong practitioners' rights immediately."

"As you certainly know, the EU meets with China biannually to hold a joint dialogue on human rights. Violations of the individual rights of members of Falun Gong in China are among the issues regularly raised, under the banner of freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and freedom of belief. We will again raise these concerns at the next session of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue to be held in Dublin on 26 and 27 February."

"I am writing as a European Parliamentary Friend of the Falun Gong to protest the arrest and handcuffing of practitioners who were peacefully demonstrating in the Champs Elysees on Saturday 24th January. There are serious allegations that this was done at the request of the Chinese Embassy. France as a member of the EU and Council of Europe is committed to the fundamental right of peaceful political protest. I find the allegations of giving in to pressure from the Chinese authorities anxious to deny any platform to protesters during the parade deeply regrettable. I do hope that the request by Falun Gong for an apology from the French authorities will be shortly forthcoming."

“The EU, in all political dialogue meetings with China, underlines the importance it attaches to respect for human rights, including the freedom of religion and belief and that it will continue to do so on every possible occasion. At every session of the human rights dialogue with China, the EU urges the Chinese authorities to respect the human rights of the followers of Falun Gong."

"I am very happy that this morning the European Parliament passed a resolution regarding the preparation for the UN Human Rights Conference in Geneva. The resolution urged the European Union to initiate a motion at this year’s Human Rights Conference to condemn the human rights abuses in China and a series of other countries. In the resolution, the persecution of Falun Gong was mentioned in the text about China. Let’s see if the EU member states would make some active responses to European Parliament's initiatives."

"I have been in close contact with my colleague Michael Cashman who has written to Ambassador Sellal, head of the Permanent Representation of France to the European Union, not only to express our concerns that this may be a continuation of the campaign by the Chinese authorities against Falun Gong, but also to raise our concerns about the behaviour of the French Police during the New Year parade. This is an issue we have been monitoring for some time and we will continue to do so."

"I am aware of the Chinese government’s policy on persecuting the practitioners of Falun Gong. My colleagues and I have made representations to the Chinese authorities regarding this issue on a number of occasions and I also raised it myself when I visited Beijing on a British Council sponsored visit eighteen months ago. I am therefore particularly disappointed to see that the French government appear to be seeking to curry favour with the Chinese authorities by the actions to which you have referred concerning the Chinese New Year parade."

Outside the parliament building, the practitioners’ appeal and exercise demonstration was peaceful and serene. Local media reporters were present and MEPs from different countries stopped to get more information from the practitioners. Lots of practitioners met MEPs from their own countries who said they would pay close attention to the recent incidents in France.

"Could the Presidency call on the French authorities to clarify the arrest policy used during this official visit. Could the Presidency also urge the French authorities to respect the fundamental rights of all European citizens to the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of assembly and freedom from arbitrary arrest."

Member of the European Parliament Roger Helmer wrote a letter on January 23rd to the Ambassador of the French Embassy in England regarding the incident in which Falun Gong practitioners were stopped from joining the Chinese New Year celebration parade in Paris. He pointed out that the attempt to extend such a persecution to member countries of the European Union is completely unacceptable. “Although most of us will never practise Falun Gong ourselves, the very democratic principles of the French Republic are there to protect peaceful minority lifestyle choices."

"I was saddened to learn that you yielded to pressure for the dictators of China and stopped the French Falun Gong practitioners from participating in the Chinese New Year parade in Paris. France should have stayed true to European democratic and egalitarian principles by standing up to the pressure from China. China suppresses its own people and now France is allowing China to suppress the citizens of France from expressing their beliefs!"

"Jiang Zemin should be held responsible for the human rights violations that occurred during his time in power. Jiang's case has also become a clear message to the present leader of China, which is China must make an immediate correction of its policy of persecuting Falun Gong in order to fulfil the requirements of the International Human Rights criterion."

"What was clear was that in its early days, the Chinese authorities actually encouraged it. It was seen as something not threatening; it was seen as something healthy that contributed to the wellbeing of people. And then they got cold feet, and thought that perhaps this was leading to some self-expression that went beyond the wishes of the regime. I think that was very sad. Because China is a very big country, to be part of a country, it does not need to suppress the instincts and wishes of individuals and groups and minorities."

"I have been speaking to representatives of Falun Gong over the last three or four years. I have been briefed on the sort of persecution that the Chinese practitioners of Falun Gong have faced on the Chinese mainland and I think nobody can hear those stories without being very distressed and saddened, both for the individual suffering of those people and also for the fact that in China there appears to be no freedom to practise religion and no freedom to take an alternative view."

This MEP reminded practitioners that action must be taken, justice will win and as a result the persecution of Falun Gong will come to an end. In conclusion, she stated "if there is an opportunity, I am willing to help you with the lawsuit against Luo Gan. With regards to this, please let us keep in contact."

"As a member of the European Parliament and the Swedish State Committee, my attention has on several occasions been drawn to the infringement and mistreatment of Christians and Falun Gong practitioners within the oppressing dictatorship of China. It is a matter of direct persecution, where many people have lost their innocent lives. Let us all think about those who have sacrificed, who have been victimised for believing in freedom and the right to choose their religion, theory of life, belief and form of meditation. With deep respect for those people who are suffering, and with hope that this exhibition at the Mora house of culture will attract many visitors and receive great appreciation, I send my heartfelt greetings to you all."

"The measures that China has taken against Falun Gong, especially after the systematic persecution began in 1999, are not only strictly condemnable but also very concerning...Something needs to be done, so that justice is served and the persecution against Falun Gong is stopped. Therefore I am interested in helping you in your legal battle against Luo Gan, if a suitable opportunity arises."

"I think it is up to the international community to raise at every opportunity, the issue of human rights in China. We shouldn’t be afraid to do it. We shouldn’t allow ourselves to be bullied or blackmailed with the issue of trade, money or financial resources or anything else to stay silent. Any democratic government in any democratic country must fight for the people of all countries regardless of where that country is and regardless of what they say."

"I have been informed that this people have been imprisoned solely due to their belief in Falun Gong and I would urge you to convey my concerns about these people to your government. I would ask your government to allow family and friends from the United Kingdom to visit these people in China as soon as possible."

"The world knows that the Chinese government hid the truth of SARS and this has severely contributed to the current worldwide disaster. This incident shows again the attitude of the Chinese regime. What the Swedish citizen Mrs. Pirjo Svensson was holding was material that told the truth of the persecution of Falun Gong in China and the human rights abuses there...I am truly concerned, not only for my countryman Mrs. Pirjo Svensson but also for the people and the government of Thailand. The longer this situation continues, the more it is unworthy of an independent and democratically ruled Kingdom."

"Thailand is supposed to be a democratic and independent country but it seems that the Thai authorities are violating both national and international laws and human rights. Two weeks ago a diplomatic note was issued by the Swedish Embassy in Thailand to the Thailand authorities, but there has been no reply as yet. I am extremely concerned about the situation of Mrs Svensson and other Falun Gong practitioners."

"..the EU also underlined that the proscription mechanism, as well as the broad definition of sedition offences, remain specific areas of concern to the EU. It reiterated that the handling of the Article 23 legislation would be an important test for the “One country, two systems” principle and called on the Hong Kong authorities to go on upholding the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Basic Law.”

"For a long time, I have been following the Human Rights situation in China and the extremely harsh repression the Chinese regime is using against Falun Gong practitioners who cultivate "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance". For me, condemning "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" is telling people that they are not allowed to be good and blatantly opposes common moral standards."

On April 8 2003, the plenary session of the European Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution regarding two reports on Hong Kong. The resolution contained sharp criticisms of the Hong Kong authority’s treatment of Falun Gong and, in particular, the proscription mechanism in the proposed Article-23 legislation which is widely believed to be targeting Falun Gong.

"In the past few days, the Chinese Embassy in Romania has twice forced the closure of the traditional painting exhibition in Bucharest by Falun Gong practitioner, Australian citizen, Mrs Zhang Cuiying...I would be very grateful if you could tell me what the position of the Romanian Embassy is on ...the illegal forced closure of the art exhibition by the Chinese authorities in Bucharest."

"I am horrified to learn of the jailing of pregnant practitioners and use of their pregnancy to force a choice between their beliefs and their unborn children. The list of barbaric acts by the Chinese authorities make for chilling reading and I assure you I will do what I can in the context of the European Parliament."

"The Commission will closely monitor further developments on this important issue, especially as regards eventual effects of future legislation in respect for human rights and civil liberties. The Commission will continue to exert pressure on the Chinese authorities for improvements regarding respect for freedom of expression, association and religion for all groups of the Chinese population including practitioners of Falun Gong."

According to a report from the BBC on March 19 2003, the European Union again expressed their concerns about human rights in China. It was also mentioned in the report that the way China treats Falun Gong practitioners has caused criticism from the International society.

"The proposed legislation concerning article 23 of the Basic Law has shocked the international community. This legislation appears to far exceed the requirements of protecting nation security at the expense of individual freedoms. ... More worrying are recent comments from the vice premier Qian Qi Chen on National television when he stated the Hong Kong must pass the article 23 legislation so that Falun Gong can be banned in the territory."

"Considering that since 1999: - according to public and well-known information provided by the Falun Dafa Information Centre, Amnesty International and other major international and national NGOs, Mr. Jiang Zemin, the leader of China, has begun the persecution of the more than 100 million people Falun Gong practitioners..."

Pannella denounces the fact that the “crusade” launched by Jang Zemin in 1999 now affects 100 million followers of Falun Gong, and has already led to hundreds of deaths, thousands of barbaric episodes of torture and the imprisonment of tens of thousands of people, as denounced by Amnesty International, the Human Rights Watch and the Falun Dafa Center of New York.

"I share your concerns over the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. I would like to inform you that the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office together with the global European Commission Delegations and the Diplomatic Missions of the European Union follow closely human rights issues around the world."

"In addition, the Union has on several occasions undertaken formal demarches to express concern about report of torture and ill treatment of followers of the Falun Gong movement who have been arrested, and has urged China to review harsh sentences imposed on them...Concern about the violations of the human rights of the followers of Falun Gong was also expressed in the conclusions of the General Affairs Council on Human Rights in China in March 2002."

"In addition, the Union has on several occasions undertaken formal demarches to express concern about report of torture and ill treatment of followers of the Falun Gong movement who have been arrested, and has urged China to review harsh sentences imposed on them."

"What is the opinion of the Commission on the introduction of the controversial Article 23 legislation of anti-subversion law, and is the Commission concerned about the threat to the ability of those who wish to peacefully practise Falun Gong activites either in Hong Kong or in the rest of China to practise their beliefs unimpeded or without threat of arbitrary arrest?"