March 18, 2002
By MIRIAM DONOHOE, Asia Correspondent
An Irish follower of Falun Gong has been deported from China for protesting on Tiananmen Square, Beijing, at the banning of the spiritual movement.
Mr Gerald O' (23), a postgraduate computer science student in DCU, was put on a flight for Ireland on Saturday after being detained overnight in a police station in Beijing. He claims he was forced to strip naked and was punched, kicked and threatened by police during his detention.
Mr O' travelled to Beijing last week for the release from a re-education through labour camp of a Chinese Trinity College student, Mr Zhao Ming, who had been detained for two years for his membership of the Falun Gong movement.
Mr O' told The Irish Times he had been unable to make contact with Mr Zhao or his family since his release last Tuesday.
The Irish Embassy in Beijing was informed of Mr O'' deportation on Saturday afternoon by the Chinese authorities.
He is now safely back in Dublin.
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