Manifestation med anledning av den fällande domen mot de 16 Falun Gong-utövarna i Hongkong

Pressmeddelande

Idag kommer det att hållas en manifestation vid den kinesiska ambassaden i Stockholm kl 10-13 och det kinesiska konsulatet i Göteborg kl 11 med anledning av domen i Hongkong mot 16 utövare av Falun Gong.

Samtidigt som det har kommit nya rapporter om dödade Falun Gong-utövare i Kina, har 16 personer, varav fyra schweiziska medborgare, dömts i en rättegång i Hongkong efter att ha genomfört en fredlig protest mot förföljelsen av Falun Gong i Kina. Huvudanklagelserna i åtalet var att de skulle ha blockerat en trottoar. Vi tycker det är viktigt att uppmärksamma den här situationen och dess bakgrund.

Kontaktpersoner:

Mia Sahlin 070 - 663 34 81

Malin Nordstrand 070 - 553 38 73

1. Länk till tidslinje.

2. Uttalande från de som har dömts i rättegången i Hong Kong:

Statement from Practitioners in Hong Kong in Response to the Verdict of August 15th

August 15, 2002

This trial has nothing to do with obstruction, but rather, is an extension of the persecution of Falun Gong the from Mainland to Hong Kong. It is the persecution of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. The charges were made by the police to please the LOCPG or Jiang Zemin. For everyone, it should be clear that it can't be obstruction if one occupies only 7m2 of a total area
of 140 m2. That is supposed to lead to hindrances? The basic law in Hong Kong is now undermined and the freedoms of speech and assembly are no longer guaranteed.

Our lawyer, Paul Harris, said in his Submission: "If a small peaceful demonstration which has not actually obstructed anyone is not to be allowed at one of the most obvious locations for demonstrations in Hong Kong, the rights of free speech and freedom of assembly in Hong Kong have been not merely restricted, but dramatically curtailed. Such curtailment cannot be justified on any of the grounds listed in Articles 16 or 17 of the Bill of Rights."

The British Foreign, Secretary Jack Straw, stated, "It is vital... that the basic rights and freedoms afforded to the people of Hong Kong through the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law continue to be upheld." "[The British government] believes that freedom of assembly and freedom of speech must not be compromised."

In calling upon the Hong Kong authority to drop the charges, Lord Moyne of the United Kingdom said on 8th of August: "A guilty verdict, however, would show that there is really only one system, not two, and that system is a barefaced tyranny."

We are deeply disappointed that the judge acted by command of the Chinese government instead of applying the British Law. The judge, Mr Simon Wong, has acted very biased throughout the process, and we requested that he step down from this case. Unfortunately he refused this. Is the judge conscious of the consequences of his verdict? It seems not!

Hong Kong has now adapted its laws and rights to the instructions of Jiang Zemin. But the fact is, that through this verdict more innocent practitioners are going to be killed in Mainland China. That is even worse. Is that right? Could that be fair?

We only wanted to tell China the truth and request them to stop the violent persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Therefore we came from very far and now it ends so sadly. We never would have expected that a government with a long tradition of human rights would give in to the pressure of such an obviously tyrannical leader.

Dear citizens of Hong Kong, stand up for justice; it is your future. Because we were judged guilty through this peaceful demonstration, the freedoms of speech and assembly will be limited in the future.

We do not accept this verdict, and will appeal to a higher court. We are innocent, just the same as the many millions of Falun Gong practitioners in mainland China and around the world. Is it an offence to save good people? Is it an offence if people in China believe in Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance? Can we watch silently when a government pursues, tortures and murders innocent people? Is it correct, when people who are also aware of that, restrict our attempts to clarify the truth, just to protect their power?

It is in fact incredible that this process has lasted 26 days. Furthermore, the prosecution was spearheaded by two top senior prosecutors. This in itself proves that the Chinese Government has
influenced this trial in order to make sure it gets the verdict it wants against Falun Gong.

We hope the citizens of Hong Kong are awakening and standing up against this unfair process.

We will continue our appeals until the end of this unnecessary persecution, regardless of the pressure. The universal principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance bring hope for all mankind. No amount of hatred can crush our compassionate hearts, and no propaganda can forever hide the truth. The world's people are awakening and standing up. Together, we will end this persecution.

Thank you very much for your support.

3. Några punkter som lyfter fram tvivelaktigheter med denna rättegång och dess bakgrund:

- De som deltog i manifestationen tog bara upp en yta på ca sju kvadratmeter, av ett brett trottoarområde på ca 140 kvadratmeter

- Polisen omringade utövarna med metallbarrikader, vilka blockerade hela trottoaren och tvingade gångtrafikanterna ut på gatan för att kunna passera. Polisen lämnade sedan barrikaderna där i fem dagar.

- I nuläget har man grävt upp i stort sett hela det trottoarområdet. Man kan fråga sig varför…

- Åklagarsidan kunde inte åberopa några tredjepartsvittnen, eller en enda person som upplevde sig hindrad av manifestationen.

- Bevisbördan ligger på åklagarsidan, men ändå kunde de inte bevisa att en blockering av trottoaren (eller ”våld mot polisman”) ägde rum.

- I domarens sammanfattning attackerade han personligen de svarandes karaktär med att fokus på deras “motsägelser”. Ändå bortförklarade han polisens motsägelser med att säga att de var förståeliga under den kaotiska situationen.

- Domaren använde bakvänd logik. Till exempel var en av hans huvudanklagelser att en av de svarande var undvikande i sina svar och frågade hur han kunde veta att han inte blockerade trottoaren när han satt med sina ögon stängda?

- Domaren sade att han aldrig hade sett så “välvilliga” handlingar från polismän. Sätt det här uttalandet mot bilder av händelsen och bedöm själv...

- Folkrepubliken Kinas sambandskontor satte igång det hela genom att ringa till polisen fem gånger inom en timme.

- Förra augusti arresterades utövare på samma plats men släpptes utan något åtal, vilket visar att de inte bröt mot någon lag.

- Varför hyrdes en av de mest framstående åklagarna i Hongkong in för att driva fallet om det här var ett enkelt fall om att blockera en trottoar?

- Under Folkets kongress och den Politiska konsultativa kongressen, föreslog en högt rankad partitjänsteman att Falun Gong borde förbjudas i Hongkong så snabbt som möjligt. En annan tjänsteman uppmanade senare Hongkongs delvis autonoma regering att åberopa Artikel 23 i grundlagen för att kunna förbjuda Falun Gong i Hongkong.