Letter from the European Falun Dafa Association to the Hong Kong Authorities

We are writing to express our extreme concern at the verdict in the case of the 16 Falun Gong practitioners. This is a wrong verdict, and a sad decision for the future of Hong Kong. At stake in this case are issues of great importance to the future of Hong Kong. They include: preservation of the inalienable rights enshrined in HK Basic Law, such as freedom of speech, freedom of belief, freedom of assembly and peaceful demonstration/protest, the right to be free from discrimination based upon one's spiritual beliefs, the integrity of the Criminal Justice System, and of course, the preservation of the integrity of the "one country, two-system" rule. Above all, it is against the wishes of the people of Hong Kong and elsewhere.

This trial never should have occurred, and could not and would not have occurred in any democracy around the world. The facts of this case are clear: the Hong Kong police were acting under pressure from Jiang's regime, a regime that continues to wage violence against tens of millions of good people in China. This verdict also marks the arrival of "rule of Jiang" and the departure of "rule of law" in Hong Kong.

The 16 Falun Gong practitioners (4 Swiss citizens) did nothing wrong. The only thing they obstructed was Jiang Zemin's killing order. They are heroes because they used peaceful means to appeal for justice for millions of good Chinese citizens persecuted in China. Any statement about this appeal that falls short of acknowledging its righteousness and selflessness is unjust. We hope that you will recognise this mistake and mitigate the enormous loss Hong Kong has already incurred. For the sake of the future of Hong Kong and its people, we urge you to respect the will of its people and reverse this verdict.

We wish to engage in an openhearted dialogue with the Hong Kong government leader at the earliest opportunity. At the same time we wish to thank the many courageous individuals both in Hong Kong and elsewhere who have spoken up on behalf of Falun Gong, freedom, and fundamental human rights.

Human rights is a moral issue. It is about protecting human dignity and about protecting individuals' right to freedom of conscience, association, and expression. We are resolved to continue our peaceful, non-violent appeal, and work with the international community to bring an end to this modern-day atrocity.

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.