Swiss NGO Writes to Hong Kong Authorities about Appeal of 15 Falun Gong Practitioners

To learn more about the September 3rd appeal for the "Obstruction Case", please see http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/200309/14819.html

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Berne, September 2nd 2003

Trial against Falun Gong practitioners

Dear Mrs Leung

ACAT-Switzerland (Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture, an independent human rights NGO affiliated to the international federation FI.ACAT which has a consultative status at the UN) has been attentively observing the last year’s trial against [fifteen] Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong, among them four Swiss nationals Erich Bachmann, Roland Isenschmid, Lam Duy Quoc and Simone Schlegel-Grunenfelder.

With indignation we learned that all defendants were found guilty in August 2002.

According to our information the [fifteen] Falun Gong practitioners had held a peaceful and fully legal sit-in outside the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong. The charges brought against them don’t have any legal foundation according to the Hong Kong legislation still based on British legal system.

We therefore consider the August 2002 judgement arbitrary and support the defendants’ appeal on the case.

We therefore urge the court dealing with the appeal in the next days to appreciate the facts and evidences strictly from the point of view of the Hong Kong legislation and to acquit the defendants of all charges.

We would like to thank you for your attention and hope that you will intervene in favour of the safeguard on fundamental rights in Hong Kong.

Yours very respectfully,

ACAT-Switzerland
[signed]
Bettina RYSER HUANCA
Secretary General