Letter from European Falun Dafa Association to Hong Kong Authority

On March 11, 2002, four Falun Gong practitioners from Switzerland arrived in Hong Kong, en route to Beijing to petition the Chinese government to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. They were denied entry into China, even though they had valid visas. As an alternative, they, in conjunction with twelve local practitioners, conducted a three-day hunger strike in front of the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong, beginning on the morning of March 14. Their activity complied with all local ordinances. Under pressure from the Chinese Liaison Office, the Hong Kong police repeatedly threatened the demonstrators to make them leave, and finally forcibly removed them at around 1:30 pm that afternoon.

The Hong Kong police then lodged false accusations against the sixteen innocent people, and a trial began on June 17, 2002 in Hong Kong. Proceedings from the courtroom clearly indicate this is a sham trial driven by political motives and distorted by the bias of the presiding magistrate:

· The police charged the defendants with obstruction of traffic in a public place – the pavement in front of the liaison office. However, the government has not produced a single witness to corroborate this charge. Not a single bystander or passer-by – other than the police themselves – has testified that the practitioners obstructed traffic. In contrast, the defence had shown by video and by mathematical calculation that the demonstration occupied less than 7 square meters while the pavement has an area of 140 square meters, and hence it is impossible for the practitioners to have obstructed traffic in that particular public space.

· The police charged the defendants with assault during their arrest. However, not only was the arrest itself illegal, it is clearly shown by video and photos that it was the police who used excessive force on the practitioners, injuring several. The practitioners remained motionless in meditation throughout. The police admitted in their testimony that their method of subduing the practitioners was intended to induce pain to the arrested.

· The presiding magistrate Symon Wong showed more than accidental bias against the defendants. While questions on matters as irrelevant as rental payments were consistently allowed from the plaintiff, a question from the defendants mentioning human rights was deemed “irrelevant” and was disallowed. Objections from the prosecutor were almost automatically accepted and those from the defendants almost automatically rejected. The magistrate even personally attacked the defense lawyers, accusing them of putting up a “sneaky and unprofessional” defense, telling them to “fight like a man.”

The possible negative impact of this sham trial to the rule of law in Hong Kong and to the political and economic future of Hong Kong cannot be overlooked. As an important member of the Hong Kong government you may wish to consider the the international impact of the trial to the long-term development of Hong Kong. You will undoubtedly see the importance of the rule of law and the importance of the promise of “one country two systems.”

When procedural justice and fairness are trampled, when the laws are interpreted for political ends, laws are turned from an instrument of human rights protection into the machinery of human rights violation. This is certainly not in the best interest of Hong Kong. Chinese leaders often claim that their government does protect the rule of law, when it is actually rule by force. Laws are created and interpreted as needed, and enforced by the police, the army, and terror tactics. If this trial is allowed to be used to enforce Chinese political policy, we can only expect to see rule of law turn into rule by force in Hong Kong also.

We urge you to use all of your influence to see that justice is upheld, that the rule of laws is maintained and that Hong Kong continues to be a separate and autonomous region, rather than a pawn, of China.

Yours sincerely