UK MEP Writes to EU Foreign Commissioner Chris Patten regarding the Political Trial in Hong Kong

On 29 August 2002, a UK member of the European Parliament wrote to European Commission Foreign Affairs Commissioner Mr Chris Patten, the last UK Governor of Hong Kong, to voice his concern for the persecution in Hong Kong in the form of a politically motivated trial of Falun Gong practitioners. He also called on Mr Patten to intervene in this case of political persecution.

The text of the letter is as follows:

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August 29th, 2002

Dear Mr Patten,

RE: Falun Gong

We have recently been contacted by a constituent. Due to your extensive experience of Hong Kong and special knowledge of the Far East, we think you may be able to help us with this matter.

We're writing to draw attention to the trial of sixteen Falun Gong practitioners (twelve from Hong Kong, four from Switzerland) who were arrested beginning a peaceful, three-day hunger strike in front of the Peoples' Republic of China Liaison Office in Hong Kong. The protesters were accused of blocking the pavement and assaulting police officers while they claim the demonstration was completely peaceful and in keeping with the essential Falun Gong principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance". Enclosed is a copy of the European Falun Gong Information Centre's press statement concerning the incident.

We have been campaigning against the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China for several years now and are alarmed to hear of this further case of persecution. Do you have any information you could possibly add or is there any influence you can bring to bear on the situation?