Letter to the Singapore High Commissioner to UK from Non-governmental Organisation "European Friends of Falun Gong"

The High Commissioner,
Singapore High Commission in the UK,
9 Wilton Crescent,
Belgravia,
London
SW1X 8SP

5th May 2005

Dear High Commissioner,

We wish to express our extreme concern at the unjustly harsh treatment of Falun Gong practitioners Cheng Lujin and Ng Chye Huay by the Singapore authorities following their recent convictions for ‘Assembling without a permit’ and ‘Possessing and mailing out uncertified VCDs’ in February 2003 in Esplanade Park, Singapore. The pair had since been held in custody pending trial and were convicted on April 27th 2005. Both practitioners appealed against the convictions and were given excessive fines of $20,000 and $24,000 respectively by a court in Singapore.

They both recently staged a hunger strike to protest against their unjust treatment. Now, even though they have been released back to their families since their husbands paid the fines, we believe it would be wholly appropriate for the Singapore authorities to overturn the convictions and to return the fines to the families which have been paid.

Both practitioners follow the principles of Truth, Compassion and Forbearance and have no intention of causing harm to anyone. They simply wish to be allowed to practise their belief and for others to be able to do the same without fear of persecution from the authorities.

More and more governments and people around the world are learning about the truth of Falun Gong, and governments such as that of Singapore will become increasingly isolated in the global political arena by staging such inhumane, futile gestures to appease the Chinese government, which is at the forefront of the persecution.

As you are no doubt aware, nearly 2000 Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death since China’s ban on Falun Gong in July 1999 and many more thousands languish in prisons and labour camps across the country merely for exercising their constitutional right to freedom of speech and belief.

We therefore appeal to you to do all you can to overturn the Singapore judge’s decision to fine the two practitioners and to persuade your government to issue a statement of apology to them and their families. This persecution must be brought to an end as soon as possible in the name of Truth, Compassion and Forbearance.

Your assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

John Dee (Vice-Chairman)