Support from Governments and Politicians in Europe

United Kingdom

Excerpt from Speech made by Mr John Battle, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom, 22nd March 2001 at the 57th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland:
“We remain concerned about the continued detention and harrassment of democracy activists, religious practitioners and Falun Gong adherents. We remain concerned about the use of the death penalty and administrative detention: and incidents of torture and degrading treatment of detainees.”

Mr John Wilkinson MP, United Kingdom, 16 Februaury 2001:
“I deplore such persecution and have written to the Foreign Secretary urging him to demonstrate the Government’s commitment to an ethical foreign policy by championing the human rights of the practitioners of Falun Gong in China.”

Extract from House of Commons Hansard, United Kingdom, 30 January 2001:

Ms Glenda Jackson MP:
“To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when concerns about the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners were last raised with the Chinese Government: and what actions Her Majesty’s Government plan to continue to make on this matter.”

Mr Battle:
“We have serious concerns about the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners in China and take every appropriate opportunity to raise these directly with the Chinese authorities. A list of individual cases of concern, including Falun Gong practitioners, was passed to the Chinese authorities during a call by the British Ambassador on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 19 January. Falun Gong was also discussed in detail during the last round of the UK/China human rights dialogue in London between 16-18 October. I personally raised Falun Gong with the Chinese Ambassador Ma Zhengang on 20 June and 30 November 2000.

We intend to raise the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners during the forthcoming sixth round of the UK/China human rights dialogue in Beijing between 12-14 February.”

Letter from Mark Prisk, UK MP, to Foreign & Commonwealth Secretary Rt. Hon. Jack Straw MP:

August 15, 2001
RE: Falun Gong persecution
I am writing to you to in support of those practitioners of Falun Gong who are being persecuted by the Chinese Government. Independent observers say that over 250 people have died from police torture or ill treatment and 10,000 people have been sent to labour camps without trial.
We may well have important trade connections with China, but these cannot be allowed to override the need to challenge the Chinese Government to end this needless and disgraceful persecution.
Can you please advise me as to the representations you are making on this matter and the answers you have received to date?
Mark Prisk MP

Sweden

Extract from a speech made by Harald Nordlund, Swedish deputy, on the occasion of Falun Gong’s peaceful march in Gothenburg, Sweden, June 2001:
“Falun Gong is popular, and more and more people have become practitioners; but the Chinese regime is brutal, what it cannot rule and control, it tries to knock down with violence. The walk here is important, but it has to be followed by a step from each of us, taking it forward in different ways”

Germany

From the Foreign Office, Officer in Charge, Mr. Thomas Wriessnig:
“The German government follows closely the proceedings the Chinese government is taking with their ban of and actions against the Falun Gong and the violations against human rights in connection with those actions. We are deeply troubled by it.”

“The European Union has several times pleaded with the Chinese government, pointing out its disproportionate actions against the practitioners of Falun Gong in the People’s Republic of China.”

Inge Gerstberger, Committee of Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, German Parliament:
“I can assure you that we in our committee are closely watching the human rights situation in China and we are taking it very seriously. The persecution of Falun Gong practitioners is one of the most gruesome crimes against human rights, which lately has only escalated.”

Mr. Roland Zimmermann, Coalition of the SPD (Socialist Party) in the German Parliament, AG [AG is equivalent to a corporation; translator], (Standing Committee), Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid:
“Mr. Bindig, in his capacity as spokesperson for the AG Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid of the SPD-Fraction wrote a letter to the German Chancellor for his upcoming visit to China. In this letter, Mr. Bindig asked the Chancellor specifically to raise the topic of inhumane treatment of Falun Gong practitioners with his Chinese counterparts.”

“All reports in the press document the brutal suppression and the inhumane treatment of Falun Gong practitioners at the hands of Chinese security forces. The AG [Aktien Gesellschaft; translator] for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid will monitor this situation further and with great interest and will present their comments to the appropriate entities.”