We are appealing to you for help to stop the introduction of the highly controversial Article 23 legislation in Hong Kong. Last week Article 23 of the Basic Law was formally proposed, calling for provision against subversion, with a view to being made law early in 2003.

The new law would give the Hong Kong authorities the power to proscribe any organisation which: 'either has as its objective to engage in any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion or theft of state secrets (espionage); or is affiliated to a mainland organisation which has been proscribed in mainland China by the Central Authorities, in accordance with national law on the ground that it endangers national security.'

It is now only five years since Britain handed Hong Kong back to China. Part of the handover agreement signed by both sides was the 'One country -- two systems' principle which allowed Hong Kong to be autonomous and to maintain its freedoms; China agreed that it would not interfere in Hong Kong's affairs.

Already however the Hong Kong SAR has undergone many changes under pressure from Beijing, showing that China has no intention of keeping its word on Hong Kong's autonomy.

The introduction of Article 23 would mean that Hong Kong would be effectively under the control of Beijing and would make a mockery of the 'One country -- two systems' principle.

If Article 23 becomes law, it would mean the complete end of the Hong Kong people's freedoms of speech, belief and expression.

The adoption of an anti-subversion law based on Article 23 will do nothing more than extend the ability of Jiang Zemin's regime to violate human rights as well as persecute Falun Gong and other peaceful democratic groups in Hong Kong. It will put Jiang Zemin above the law, above the Hong Kong government and above the will of the people of Hong Kong.

As in mainland China, the Falun Gong movement could be outlawed. At present nobody in mainland China is allowed to appeal against the persecution or to practise Falun Gong for fear of immediate arrest. If more than two people gather together in one place to practise Falun Gong, they can be arrested. The introduction of Article 23 would mean exactly the same treatment for Falun Gong practitioners and other religious followers in Hong Kong as well.

In China nearly 500 Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death while in police custody, over 10,000 have been sent to labour camps and thousands more committed to mental hospitals. They have been labelled by the government simply because they have their own thoughts and beliefs.

We would therefore be grateful if you could raise this issue with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, and if you would urge the Hong Kong government to maintain Hong Kong's autonomy in the proposed legislation, and to resist China's increasing pressure on Hong Kong to ban or otherwise persecute Falun Gong and other democratic groups. China has shown a dangerous tendency in recent months to exert undue pressure on the authorities of other sovereign states, for example in the Ukraine and Iceland, to limit the effectiveness of peaceful protest activities, and Article 23 clearly represents another attempt by Jiang Zemin to use every means available to crack down on Falun Gong both at home and abroad.

The people of Hong Kong would also be very grateful if you could help in any way to stop the introduction of Article 23.

Our heartfelt thanks for any help you could extend in this extremely urgent situation.

Yours sincerely,

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John Dee (Vice-Chairman)