A UK Citizen's Testimony: "Such a blatant export of Chinese human rights abuses to the free country of France is both shocking and totally unacceptable."

To whom it may concern,

I am a British citizen of Chinese ethnicity who was treated very badly by police officers in Paris on a recent visit to France. The Chinese regime, which was conducting several events in Paris, put pressure on the French authorities to abuse the basic human rights of Falun Gong practitioners and other dissident groups. I am a practitioner of Falun Gong, which is a traditional practice of exercises and meditation that enhances mental and physical wellbeing.

On the 24th January, I went to Arc De Triomphe to join the Chinese New Year Celebrations on the Champs Elysees. I was standing at Ave Friedland, which is next to Champs Elysees, waiting for a French practitioner. I wore a yellow scarf with “Falun Dafa” written on it so as to allow my friend to easily spot me as he drove down the busy street. When I saw my friend, he was driving slowly towards me. Suddenly, two police cars sandwiched his car; the police told him to get out, pushed him onto the pavement and handcuffed him without saying anything. I was shocked to see this.

Two policemen confronted me and ordered me not to move my hands. They opened my bag and started to search. I told them that I am a peaceful person who did not break any law, and asked them why they were doing this to me when I was just standing in the street. After they finished searching my bag, they called another policewoman over to search my clothes until finally they found nothing. They seemed disappointed. The policewoman spoke English. I asked her to explain why they were doing this; she said it was for security reasons. I asked to explain these security reasons and she said they had just been carrying out orders from higher authorities. Later she apologized and left. But the police still asked me go inside their van.

There were six other UK Falun Gong practitioners already in the van. 3 of them were males who had their hands cuffed tightly with nylon rope. We were driven to Centre De Police Du 17eme. They handcuffed the other six UK practitioners to the chairs. After 5pm, they freed us with no explanation. We were detained for more than 4 hours - 12.15pm to 5.20pm (one officer told us that it is illegal to hold people over 4 hours in this manner). The police officers treated my friends very viciously.

I asked to contact the British Embassy in Paris, but the police just ignored my question. I asked to talk to their supervisor and this was also ignored. The police told some of the other practitioners that they had to capture us because we were wearing yellow Falun Dafa scarves. As far as I understand, this happened because of the Chinese Government organised New Year Celebrations that were taking place on the Champs Elysees. They pressured the French authority to exclude Falun Gong practitioners in line with the regime’s policy of vicious persecution of the group in China. Such a blatant export of Chinese human rights abuses to the free country of France is both shocking and totally unacceptable.

After coming back to the UK, I still feel shock and regret about what happened in Paris. I am a UK citizen and come from a democratic country, expecting France to be free and democratic as well. What I encountered was a nightmare that I think the French authority should apologise to me for their behaviour and prevent it from ever happening again. I hope you would help me.

Yours faithfully,

Xiaoyan Fullerton