News and Events from around the World -- December 18, 2006

Issued by Clearwisdom Net

Content

  • Australia: Legal Case against Foreign Minister Downer Closed with His Guarantee for No More Certificates, and Payment of Lawsuit Costs

  • Singapore: Excerpts from July 20th Case Trial Session

  • Singapore: Ng Chye Huay Protests Unlawful Detention After Being Released from Prison

  • Belgium: Persecution of Falun Gong in China Condemned at Freedom of Religion Seminar



  • Australia: Legal Case against Foreign Minister Downer Closed with His Guarantee for No More Certificates, and Payment of Lawsuit Costs

    On the morning of December 14, 2006, the one-and-a-half-year-long lawsuit against Foreign Minister Alexander Downer was closed with Mr. Downer's promise to not sign any more certificates restricting Falun Gong practitioners' use of banners in peaceful protests, and payment of $20,000 in costs. The practitioners filed the lawsuit against Mr. Downer for his abuse of power in signing certificates to restrict practitioners' use of banners and music to protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in Canberra.


    Ms. Kay Rubacek, Falun Gong spokesperson (left), plaintiff Dai Zhizhen (middle) and lawyer assistant Mr. Newton (right) step out of court


    Interviewing practitioners involved with this case

    Mr. Downer stops signing certificate and submits guarantee statement to court

    Around 10:00 a.m. on December 14, Judge Ken Crispin of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Supreme Court issued a final verdict on the legal case against Foreign Minister Downer. The judge said that defendant Downer promised not to continue signing the certificates restricting the Falun Gong practitioners' peaceful protests in front of the Chinese Embassy. He stopped signing the certificates since March of this year and submitted a guarantee statement to the court. The judge thought that the guarantee statement has a similar effect to the court order, and defendant Downer's promise is better than the court order to stop the signing of certificates to restrict practitioners' peaceful protests. Falun Gong practitioners can now protest the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) violation of human rights freely without any restrictions. The judge ruled that defendant Downer pay the whole cost of $20,000 and the case is closed.

    Mr. Downer fails to provide evidence and proposes to settle outside of court

    Ms. Kay Rubacek, Falun Gong spokesperson, said that people with a sense of justice need to expose the CCP's brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China and should not yield to the CCP's pressure. The high court held many hearings and asked Mr. Downer to provide evidence for his exercising his power as foreign minister in issuing the certificates. The plaintiffs' lawyer Bernard Collaery said that Downer was unable to provide the evidence for his allegation. Furthermore, former Chinese diplomat Chen Yonglin revealed that some people in the Australian Foreign Ministry had an agreement under the table with the CCP. Mr. Downer realized that he would face suspicion from the public about his behind-the-scenes agreement. In March this year, he stopped signing the certificate and proposed to settle outside of court and pay all court costs in exchange for not appearing in court and having to reply to the court for evidence of his misuse of power. The Falun Gong practitioners' side did not agree to an out-of-court settlement, because they believed that Downer's motivation was to avoid the court's investigation and that he did not have any real intention to stop signing the certificate.

    Court verdict: People in a democratic country like Australia have the right to protest human rights violations

    In the court verdict, the judge confirmed that in a democratic country like Australia, people have the right to protest human rights violations. He mentioned in the verdict that first-hand information and various investigation reports demonstrate that Falun Gong practitioners are persecuted in China. The persecution is a concerning issue. He specially mentioned that he was moved by the death of the first plaintiff Dai Zhizhen's husband due to torture by the CCP regime.

    Dai Zhizhen: Mr. Downer's mistake cannot be corrected by $20,000

    Ms. Dai said that though since March Mr. Downer promised not to sign similar certificates, Falun Gong practitioners hope to expose his wrongdoing through the court's ruling. Because of Downer's abuse of power to restrict practitioners' activity in front of the Chinese Embassy in Canberra, the 96 certificates he signed in four years misled the Australian media and public, harmed Falun Gong practitioners, supported and even contributed to the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong.

    She said, "Because we think that it is not enough for Downer to stop signing the certificate, he needs to be responsible for his wrong decision over the last four years. The court should rule that all the certificates he signed are now void. Since each certificate was valid for only 30 days, the judge thought that our request did not have much meaning. So the judge ruled that Downer would not sign the certificate but pay $20,000 in costs. The ruling does not meet our request. Thus, to have Australia not incur a regrettable loss in the history of the 21st century, we will continue to seek legal assistance to make Australian society know that Downer's mistake cannot be corrected by a $20,000 payment."

    Ms. Rubacek said that the whole world has been shocked since the exposure of the CCP's crimes of organ removal from living Falun Gong practitioners, and the release of the independent investigation report by Canadian international human rights lawyer David Matas and David Kilgour, former Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) for Canada. Recently, members of Parliament from several parties joined the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) and wish to thoroughly investigate the CCP's crimes of organ removal from living practitioners. Facing their righteous actions, Mr. Downer should be clear that he stood on the side of the evil CCP. Freedom, democracy and human rights are universal values for western society. Commerce and trade cannot override human rights.

    Background for practitioners' lawsuit against Foreign Minister Downer

    Ms. Rubacek discussed the background for the practitioners' lawsuit. In order to safeguard basic human rights, Falun Gong practitioners in Australia gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy and held banners calling for an end to the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong in China. On March 16, 2002, one day before Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan visited Australia, under the CCP's pressure and using his power, Foreign Minister Downer signed the first certificate to restrict practitioners displaying banners in front of the Chinese Embassy. The stated reason was that practitioners' banners and music violated the dignity of Chinese delegations and the Embassy. Since then, Downer signed the certificate each month.

    For years the practitioners attempted to have dialog with Foreign Minister Downer in order to solve the issue, but did not get any response. The practitioners sought help from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. President John von Doussa suggested that the practitioners seek legal means to stop Downer's signing the certificate. Thus, on June 8, 2005, practitioners Zhang Cuiying and Dai Zhizhen brought a lawsuit against Mr. Downer in the ACT Supreme Court and requested the court to order Downer not to sign similar certificates.

    Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2006/12/17/144891.html


    Singapore: Excerpts from July 20th Case Trial Session

    The final round of the trial on the July 20th case by the Singapore government against Falun Gong practitioners was held on November 28 to 30, 2006. The accused practitioners did not have a lawyer to represent them and had to defend themselves in court. The two practitioners are Mr. Erh Boon Tiong and Ms. Ng Chye Huay. One is an engineer, and the other is a homemaker. They raised many questions in court to both the judge and prosecutor, who could not come up with answers to many of them or simply stopped the line of questioning.


    Erh Boon Tiong and Ng Chye Huay (right) in front of the Singapore Subordinate Court

    Before the end of the trial, the prosecutor reminded the judge to remove some critical questions and answers from the court record. His rationale was that "related evidence has been rejected by the court, and if this testimony still remains on the record, it is equivalent to getting on the record through the back door." So what were these questions that made the prosecutor so uneasy, that he asked them to be removed? This article compiles some of those questions and answers.

    On the Trial

    Ng Chye Huay requested a bigger courtroom at the beginning of the trial on November 28, so that more of the public could witness the proceedings.

    Ng: I once again request the judge for a bigger courtroom. We have raised this question numerous times at pre-trial sessions. It is not difficult for you, as there are many big courtrooms in this court. We have many supporters, and you should not have them stand outside. I don't want to file a motion to the high court for this, but this is like holding a hearing in secret. I hope we can be treated fairly.

    Judge: The Court has already ruled on this matter, and the reasons were given. Call prosecutor witness No.1.

    On whether or not the police witness Sunny Ooi believes Falun Gong is persecuted

    Ng: (asking Sunny Ooi) At the last hearing, you said that if we can prove the persecution is factually correct, this charge cannot stand. Do you still have the same opinion?

    Prosecutor/DPP: (Interrupts) This question is not for Sunny Ooi to answer. This is for the judge to decide.

    Ng: (Continues) Do you know last month when Lee Kuan Yew visited Southern Methodist University in Dallas of the United States, local Falun Gong practitioners told him that China is brutally persecuting Falun Gong, and they urged Singapore not to follow the CCP to persecute Falun Gong. He said that Singapore is a small country ...

    Prosecutor: (Interrupts:) The defendant should not follow this line of questioning.

    Judge: It is not relevant to the charge.

    Ng: They are relevant, as the charge is politically motivated.

    Judge: If you do not proceed, I will conclude that you have no more questions.

    Ng: I have a lot of questions, but you do not allow me to carry on. Lee Kuan Yew has publicly admitted that [what is happening to] Falun Gong is persecution.

    Judge: What is your question?

    Ng: Does he (Sunny Wei) still have the same stance as before?

    Prosecutor: His opinion is not relevant here.

    Why was the charge against Chen Peiyu suddenly dropped?

    Ng: (Asking Sunny Ooi) Do you know that Ms. Chen Peiyu (one of the three practitioners involved in the July 20 case) was stopped by Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) officers when she was shopping? She was then informed that the charge against her was dropped and she had to leave Singapore?

    Prosecutor: This is the case of the July 20 harassment. Now she is talking about Chen Peiyu...

    Judge: That is not relevant.

    Ng: She is one of the persons involved, so how could she be not relevant? All of it is related. I hope that you will give us a clear explanation about the matter of Chen Peiyu. Why did you suddenly drop the charges against her and force her to leave Singapore? Was it a joint action of the court, the police and the ICA?

    Judge: I have already said that this is not relevant.

    Why was the charge leveled as Li Lanqing was visiting Singapore?

    Ng: (Asking Sunny Ooi) Before July 20, Ms. Chen Peiyu and I went in front of the Chinese Embassy to peacefully protest every day, and there was no charge against us. Why was it only when MM Lee invited Li Lanqing to visit Singapore that it became so-called harassment?

    Sunny Ooi: There is another charge (On July 12, Ng Chye Huay did meditation alone in front of the Chinese Embassy) pending for holding a banner protesting Li Lanqing's visit.

    Ng: That is why I am asking the question.

    Prosecutor: (Interrupts) This is the subject of another charge and not relevant.

    Ng: The present charge is also related to Li Lanqing.

    Judge: (cut in) What is your question?

    Ng: After Li Lanqing visited Singapore, many Falun Gong practitioners were charged and deported. This is not a coincidence.

    Prosecutor: These are side issues and not relevant to the charge.

    Ng: This is relevant because I have had many conversations with Sunny Ooi, and he told me that he has to follow his boss' orders. But I told him not to go against his conscience. We did not commit a crime, as there are political factors behind our arrest ...

    Requesting equality before the law

    Ng: (Pointing to some photos, asking Sunny Ooi) I took photos of these banners from other groups, and similar banners can be seen in many places. Why did this [Falun Gong banners] constitute harassment, while the other banners did not?

    Prosecutor: Objection. You can't ask for his opinion, only about facts.

    Judge: Sunny Ooi's opinion is not relevant.

    Ng: This is a case of discrimination against us that is politically motivated.

    Judge: Next question.

    Ng: (to Judge) You are sworn to uphold justice.

    Judge: Next question.

    Ng: (asking Sunny Ooi) Who was being harassed? Where is the victim?

    Prosecutor: This is a matter of law. The charge is "likely to cause harassment."

    Judge: Next question.

    Erh: (Asking Sunny Ooi) Was it your own decision that our behavior caused harassment to the public?

    Sunny Ooi: Yes, it was my own decision.

    Erh: I say that your judgment is incorrect.

    Judge: You can talk about that later.

    Erh: Do you know that something very serious is happening in China, where the organs of Falun Gong practitioners are being harvested?

    Judge: That is not relevant.

    Regarding the persecution in China

    Erh: If one person sees another committing murder, and the first person brings out a banner calling for help--if the police charges the first person but not the second, then it is not justified.

    The CCP is killing people, and Singapore should step forward and try to stop it. The law should punish the bad people, not the good ones. We are the ones actually being harassed in Singapore, as the media here have made untruthful reports over the past several years. The government officials, the police and the media employees are also victims. We are not against anybody.

    The persecution of Falun Gong is fact, and we have much evidence to submit to the court. We should encourage those who dare to tell the truth. Every minute, there are Falun Gong practitioners being tortured. As a human being, it is your responsibility to act.

    Prosecutor: There is nothing to say. The facts speak for themselves. The facts for this charge have been submitted and established.

    Regarding why Ng Chye Huay went to the Chinese Embassy

    Ng: (As a witness) I am not guilty and should not be sitting here. I should be sitting at the Chinese Embassy urging them to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. One and a half years ago, I read on the Minghui website that Gao Rongrong was tortured and disfigured by the police with electric batons, and later tortured to death. I was very sad. It was then that I decided to protest in front of the Chinese Embassy, no matter how difficult it was. I'm regretful that I went there too late, I should have been there since 2000. I was charged three times by the Singapore government, and I know that this case's result might have been determined already. The trial is being held in secret, and the prosecution is removing witnesses. I know that Lee Kuan Yew is in control of everything, similar to the CCP's way of doing things. The saddest case was that of Chen Peiyu, a 73-year-old woman. She has relatives here, but you forced her to leave Singapore, becoming destitute and homeless.

    Both Lee Kuan Yew and Yong Pung How (Lee's good friend and former chief justice) said when confronting issues of Falun Gong that Singapore is a small country. We cannot lose our conscience, just because we are a small country, and trade it for economic benefits.

    Singaporeans should wake up. I will keep going to the Chinese Embassy to protest the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong and tell people about the persecution of Falun Gong. I'm proud of what I have done, as that is for the good of others.

    Prosecutor: Why must you go to the Chinese Embassy every day, why not to the zoo or other places?

    Ng: Because the CCP persecutes Falun Gong.

    Prosecutor: So your audience is the Chinese Embassy and its officials?

    Ng: Not just them. I also want to tell others who visit the embassy and Singaporeans who pass by.

    Prosecutor: You target embassy officers and Singapore people who pass by?

    Ng: We help them learn about the truth, without targeting anyone.

    Prosecutor: What do you expect them to do? Can they help stop the alleged persecution? What does the banner have to do with saving life in China?

    Ng: At least it can help dispel their misunderstanding. They can also write or tell their friends about the situation, and at least if their friends or families go to China for organ transplants, they should think twice before doing so.

    Prosecutor: Has any citizen complained to you?

    Ng. No. Many people who have learned about the truth admire and support us. Some people who went to the Chinese Embassy to get visas approached me and asked me to help them quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Some Chinese people said "Falun Dafa is good" to me.

    There is a house opposite the Chinese Embassy, and the owner is very supportive of us, allowing us to hang banners in front of his house.

    Regarding the sudden change of procedure for appealing

    On November 30, prior to the verdict being announced, Ng Chye Huay requested the court to summon Ms. Chen Peiyu to testify in court. In the past, submission of applications for summoning somebody could be done at the counter by filling out a form, but this procedure was suddenly modified. Now once a case enters the trial period, the judge has to approve the application first.

    Ng: We submitted the application for summoning Ms. Chen Peiyu yesterday, but our application was rejected. The rules changed suddenly, requiring the judge's approval. Ms. Chen Peiyu is a very important witness for the case, and I hope you can approve.

    Judge: Why do you call the witness now? What can she do here?

    Prosecutor: (Cuts in) Why did she wait until today to subpoena the witness? Why did she only ask yesterday, not weeks before? Also, what does Ms. Chen have to say?

    Ng: The prosecutor withdrew a witness (the photographer) at the last minute. The charges against Ms. Chen were suddenly withdrawn. Why can you make all these changes but I can't?

    Prosecutor: (No response)

    Judge: How is the witness (Ms. Chen Peiyu) going to help the court to determine the facts?

    Ng: She was there. You rejected our witnesses, because they were not on the scene. But this witness was there. I also wish to know why you withdrew the charges against Ms. Chen.

    Judge: Anything else?

    Ng: You should uphold justice.

    Should someone have to be on the scene to testify

    After Erh Boon Tiong read his closing statement on November 30, he continued:

    Erh: I wish to refute the prosecutor on what he said. He said that those who are not at the scene are not relevant to the case. Let's take a simple example: a person who pays for a killing doesn't need to be at the scene. Also, the prosecutor said that someone from the Chinese Embassy took a picture of us showing that we harassed him. Of course, a murderer would not be happy if he is exposed. For this trial, we have filed a motion to the high court. The motion is being processed, and you should wait for the outcome of the high court and then make a verdict.

    Prosecutor: I request the judge to purge the record of such testimony, including the alleged persecution of Falun Gong, what MM Lee has said, the UN report, the US Congressional resolution and so on. Related evidence has been rejected by the court, and if the testimony still remains in the court record, it is equivalent to allowing it through the back door. Regarding your criminal motion, the high court did not give a hearing date. You indeed went to the Chinese Embassy to display a banner on July 20, and this is not in dispute. According to Singapore's case law, previous counsel VK Rajah said that this constitutes harassment, and it's common sense to say that. The main perspective of the law is that it may be a peaceful activity, but it potentially threatens others and is full of anger and discontent. On the topic of evidence, Sunny Ooi's opinion is not relevant to this matter. His opinion only affected the initial charge, and is not relevant to these proceedings. The court is to decide the case according to the law. The defendants have complained continuously and filed a criminal motion to the high court and to the appeals court. This has caused such a delay in this case, and that's the accused's big strength. Even today, they still complain about being treated unfairly. They came to the court with a set thinking, that they are unfairly treated, that they are being persecuted. In fact, they are slandering the court.

    I request to erase the record of the remark about the timing (during the visit of Li Lanqing) of the charges and about MM Lee's visit. I don't know where all these came from, and they are all just allegations.

    The accused practitioners' reaction to the verdict

    Judge: I've carefully considered both sides' submissions. I think the prosecution's case is very convincing, the court does not have any doubt. The court finds you guilty. I will now hear your requests for mitigation.

    Ng Chye Huay: I did not commit an offense, so why should I request mitigation? This secret trial and verdict is an insult to the justice system of Singapore. What we argued about focused on why the prosecution witness' decision was incorrect, so how should it have nothing to do with the case? This trial is obviously just going through the motions, as our defendants' calling witnesses and providing evidence were extremely restricted. The prosecution had originally planned for two witnesses and suddenly withdrew one. They wanted to hastily close the case. The verdict was decided a long time ago.

    Judge: I take it that you don't have any mitigation based on that statement. [Looks at Erh]

    Erh: I feel sorry for the judgment that you have chosen. Kind people are not given support, and the bad people are being encouraged. All that we have done was for the sake of everyone's future. I have no regrets.

    Prosecutor: I think that it is clear that there is no remorse here.

    Judge: I will read the verdict. $1,500 or 15 days in prison for Ng Chye Huay; $1,000 or 10 days in prison for Erh Boon Tiong.

    (The judge and prosecutor left the court in a hurry after the verdict was announced.)

    Ng and Erh: We request an appeal to the high court and bail.

    The police officer: (After consulting with the judge) The judge ruled that if you do not pay the fine on the spot, you will be directly sent to prison to serve the terms before you can appeal.

    A local lawyer gave the following opinion: The judge can indeed decide if the verdict can be carried out before the appeal is heard. Under normal circumstances, once the defendants ask for an appeal, they should be allowed to be bailed out pending the outcome of the appeal. Only when the defendant is a criminal who is a serious threat to public order, does the judge refuse to release them on bail. The judge's refusal to release the defendants on bail is against normal proceedings, as obviously he is determined to send the defendants to prison.

    Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2006/12/5/143862.html


    Singapore: Ng Chye Huay Protests Unlawful Detention After Being Released from Prison

    On December 14, at about 9:30 a.m., practitioner Ng Chye Huay walked out of the Changi Women's Prison, where she was unlawfully detained for fifteen days for conducting a peaceful protest outside the Chinese Embassy on July 20, 2006.

    Ms. Ng told a Minghui/Clearwisdom reporter that she had appealed while she was still in the prison.

    She said, "A prison guard asked me if I wanted to appeal and told me that people can appeal for two reasons: a) Refusing to surrender to the verdict; b) Belief that the sentence is excessive. I appealed for both reasons."

    Ms. Ng said, "During the trial, the judge refused to accept our witnesses and material evidence. While there was only one police witness against us, the judge rushed to rule that we were guilty. This is completely inconsistent with Singapore laws. In addition, I was fined 1,500 Singapore dollars or 15 days in prison if the fine was not paid. To my knowledge, the 15 days in prison is excessive.

    While in prison, Ms. Ng told the guards, "The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is harvested organs from living Falun Gong practitioners in China. However, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew assists the CCP in the persecution of Falun Gong as he manipulates the media to denigrate the practice and orders the Singapore judicial system to sue and detain practitioners who are trying to tell the public the truth of the persecution and stop the killing." She hopes that the guards can learn the truth and make their own conscientious choices.

    Ms. Ng is one of the two practitioners who were sued by the Singapore police for conducting a peaceful protest outside the Chinese Embassy on July 20, 2006. On November 30, after a three-day trial, the judge rushed to close the case while rejecting the practitioners' evidence. They were found guilty and fined 1,000 and 1,500 Singapore dollars, respectively. Because Ms. Ng believed that the trial process was unfair, as the judge refused to consider their material evidence and four witnesses, she refused to accept the ruling and raised a request for an appeal at the court. However, the judge ruled that they had to serve the prison terms before they can appeal.

    Because they refused to pay the fines, the two practitioners were then sent to prison. The other defendant, Mr. Erh Boon Tiong, was released on December 9.

    Ms. Ng said, "The true criminal of this 'July 20' case was Lee Kuan Yew. To please the CCP, he ordered the arrest, charging and detaining of the practitioners. Lee has disgraced himself, the Singapore judicial system and all government employees involved in the case." She said that despite the difficulties, that Singapore practitioners will continue to clarify the truth to the public until the persecution is stopped.

    Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2006/12/16/144832.html


    Belgium: Persecution of Falun Gong in China Condemned at Freedom of Religion Seminar

    On November 28 2006, the Epoch Times and several human rights NGOs held a seminar at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) suppression of religions. A representative of the European Falun Gong Association was invited to give a speech, in which she exposed the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China since 1999 and called on the European Union to condemn the CCP's human rights abuses openly.

    The seminar at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels

    European Falun Gong Association representative Ms. Waltraud Ng

    Irish European Parliament member and spokesman for the European parliament’s largest party Mr. Simon Coveney

    Mr. David Kilgour

    Mr. Edward McMillan-Scott

    The seminar was co-hosted by the vice-president of the European Parliament, Edward McMillan-Scott, and MEP Mr. Simon Coveney. China expert, Dr. Thomas Weyrauch from Germany, Mr. Erping Zhang, a scholar from Stockholm University Asia Research Center, and David Kilgour, former Canadian Asia-Pacific Secretary of State were invited to attend this seminar. Several religious and belief groups also joined the discussion.

    At the beginning of the seminar, MEP Coveney introduced the investigation report authored by David Kilgour and David Matas concerning the CCP’s atrocities of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. The report has received a great deal of attention from the European Parliament and many other governments.

    European Parliament vice-president McMillan-Scott then took discussed his trip to China earlier this year: He met Falun Gong practitioner Cao Dong in Beijing last May who is a witness of the organ harvesting atrocities. Mr. Cao was arrested by the communist regime after the meeting. Mr. McMillan-Scott stressed that the genocide of harvesting organs from Falun Gong practitioners to make profits must be stopped immediately and that under such a circumstance the 2008 Olympic Games should not be held in China.

    Dr. Thomas Weyrauch, the Chinese issue expert from Germany, is the author of an award winning book "The Huge Suffering Dragon." The book was published in September 2005 and contained an in-depth discussion on the human rights situation in China. In his speech, he emphasized that the Chinese Constitution and the International Human Rights Covenants signed by the communist regime all declare that Chinese citizens have the right to practice their beliefs freely. However, up to now, free religious activities still cannot be ensured. Believers must register in religious groups which are controlled by the atheistic government. The communist party defines whether a religion is legal or not. If it is not approved, such a religious group will be relentlessly persecuted by the regime. Dr. Weyrauch used the ‘‘610 Office" as an example: The Office was set up by the communist regime to oversee the persecution of peaceful Falun Gong practitioners.

    Mr. Erping Zhang, a Scholar of Stockholm University Asia Research Center, and Asia Research Association Director, pointed out that all traditional belief systems in China, including Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism and Falun Gong are deeply rooted in the traditional Chinese culture and have a fundamental difference from the doctrines of the CCP's Marxism. Mr. Zhang also gave an update on the ongoing persecution of different religious and belief groups in China.

    Mr. David Kilgour, former Canadian Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific), stressed that the CCP only criticized his report on organ harvesting allegations for two name errors. This reaction thus has confirmed the validity of the findings of the report. Mr. Kilgour also talked about his trip to other countries to raise awareness of the atrocities. Last August, Mr. McMillan-Scott and he visited Australia and New Zealand. Most recently, he was told that a group of Australians which was planning to go to China for organ transplants had dropped the plan.

    Ms. Waltraud Ng, a representative from the European Falun Gong Association, spoke about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China since July 1999, especially the atrocity of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners exposed this year. Waltraud Ng also talked about the situation of human rights lawyer Zhisheng Gao who sent letters to the CCP leaders three times to defend Falun Gong practitioners’ rights and is now being persecuted in China. She called for an end to the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, urged the CCP regime to release of all the detained Falun Gong practitioners, and called for an international tribunal to bring the prime perpetrators of the persecution to justice.

    European Parliament members, parliament members’ staff members, representatives of non-government organizations and reporters attended the seminar.