Ireland: British Embassy in Dublin Replies to Letter from Irish Falun Dafa Association

For Swiss nationals and 12 Hong Kong residents are standing trial on charges of obstruction with some facing additional charges including assaulting police officers. No British citizens are involved. We are following developments closely. The verdicts are due to be handed down on 15 August. We have high regards for the impartiality of the judicial system in Hong Kong, whose independence is enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong and the Basic Law of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).

We report regularly to parliament on the implementation of the Joint Declaration through the Foreign Secretary's six monthly reports which have regularly covered, among other subjects, the treatment of Falun Gong in Hong Kong. We noted in our last report (copy enclosed) that the the Falun Gong in Hong Kong is legally registered and allowed to practise in Hong Kong. Where we have concerns about actions that contravene the letter or spirit of the Joint Declaration we will raise them with the SAR Government. We will continue to take a close interest in the protection of all the rights and freedoms of the Hong Kong people.

Whilst we do not take a view on the nature of the Falun Gong organisation, we do have serious concerns about human rights abuses against Falun Gong adherents in China. We have made it clear to the Chinese that their actions contravene the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which China has signed but not yet ratified. We also regularly raise our concerns about the treatment of Falun Gong adherents with the Chinese Government, including at the biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue.

The Foreign Secretary raised Falun Gong with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan when they met in Beijing on 15 July. The Lord Chancellor raised Falun Gong with Li Ruihuan of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference when they met on 27 May. Dr. Mac Shane discussed human rights with the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Qiao Zonghua on 27 May. As you can see therefore, we use what influence we have when we have.