Letter from an MEP regarding the Illegal Forced Closure of Zhang Cuiying's art Exhibition due to Pressure from Chinese Embassy staff

His Excellency Mr Dan Ghibernea
Embassy of Romania
Arundel House
4 Palace Green
W8 4QD

02 April 2003

Your Excellency,

Illegal Closure of Falun Gong Practitioner's Art Exhibition in Romania

I am concerned about alleged human rights abuses by the Chinese Embassy in Bucharest. 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, who had been put into a labour camp in China for 8 months 2 years ago. I enclose a press release, which may be of help to you.

In short, on March 31 2003 the exhibition was due to take place at the Art Galleries of 'Teatrul Foarte Mic' Theatre in downtown Bucharest. Very soon after the advertisement announcing the opening of the exhibition in the paper on March 27th, the organisers received a phone call from a man who introduced himself as a representative of the Chinese Embassy in Bucharest. He then proceeded to tell them that the Chinese government does not allow such an activity and then told them to cancel the event. The organisers however remained steadfast in their refusal to cancel the exhibition, considering the demand illegal.

Unfortunately, on March 29th, the organisers were contacted by Mrs Ana Rasu, the person who leased them the location where the exhibition was to take place, who told them that under pressure from the Chinese Embassy, she had been forced to cancel the exhibition.

After changing her mind and deciding to open the exhibition again, it was then cancelled for a second and final time on March 31 2003. The Art gallery was full of people by the evening, when three Chinese representatives arrived to claim that the exhibition was illegal again. They then, it is alleged, started to push the organisers around, including an Australian citizen who was videotaping the event. This was noticed by the journalists present and also videotaped. Apparently the Romanian Falun Dafa Association have the videotape available.

I would be very grateful if you could tell me what the position of the Romanian Embassy is on Falun Gong practitioners and the illegal forced closure of the art exhibition by the Chinese authorities in Bucharest. I look forward to receiving your reply.

Yours sincerely,

ROGER HELMER MEP

Chinese version available at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200304/18985.html