Reuters: CHINA: Falun Gong floods HK officials with protest paper

08/06/2002

HONG KONG, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Falun Gong members from across the world have been [contacting] Hong Kong officials and legislators with phone calls, faxes and e-mails over a trial involving members of the controversial spiritual movement, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The South China Morning Post said the overseas Falun Gong followers [...] have been expressing their concern over the trial of 16 followers who were arrested at a protest earlier this year and charged with public obstruction.

Though banned in mainland China, the movement remains legal in Hong Kong, which was promised a high degree of autonomy when it returned to China in 1997.

The local government's decision to prosecute the group, which includes four Swiss nationals, has raised fresh questions about freedoms in the territory five years into Chinese rule.

Prosecutors began winding up their arguments on Tuesday.

[...]

A police spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday the office of Police Commissioner Tsang Yam-pui had received calls and e-mails relating to the trial, but declined further comment.