Letter from Norway Practitioners to Hong Kong's Chief Justice

Chief Justice Li
The Honourable Chief Justice Li
Fax: (852) 28690640

August 7, 2002

Trial against Falun Gong practitioners

You are most probably familiar with the peaceful appeals of Falun Gong practitioners, which, due to the inhuman persecution in Mainland China, have been staged in Hong Kong and other countries during the last three years. During these appeals practitioners sit in meditation, display banners to end the persecution, and are completely non-violent.

This trial is a travesty -- the Falun Gong practitioners are innocent.

In March this year, 16 Falun Gong practitioners; 4 Swiss and 12 from Hong Kong, were appealing lawfully in front of the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong when they were brutally removed by the police. The practitioners were charged with obstructing the pavement and even obstructing and assaulting police, and are now on trial.

During the arrests police resorted to brutal tactics such as choking elderly women, thumbing painful acupressure points, and pulling hair. Nine practitioners sustained minor injuries. The practitioners stayed peaceful, true to their principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance.

This trial is a threat to democracy in Hong Kong.

What would cause the Hong Kong police to attack the rights of its citizens and foreigners who were acting in accordance to the Hong Kong basic law? The trial coincides with China extending its persecution to democratic nations around the world, and with blacklisting practitioners from other countries to deny them basic human rights.

We see a connection between the trial in Hong Kong and China's international persecution. This trial is not only about Falun Gong. It is a direct threat to the "one nation, two systems" principle and a very serious encroachment on democracy in Hong Kong. Should the Hong Kong court be intimidated by the leaders of China? Hong Kong will lose the integrity of its judiciary system on top of the erosion of its democratic traditions.

The whole world is watching

If the prosecutors' views prevail in this case, Beijing wins and the people of Hong Kong lose. This trial is about an honourable stand against persecution and about Hong Kong's democratic future.

We urge you to do what you can to end this travesty.