Member of House of Lords Calls For Ireland's President to Act to Hasten Zhao Ming's Release

H. E. Mary McAleese

Arus an Uavhtarain

Phoenix Park

Dublin 18

Ireland

24.2.2002

Dear Mrs. McAleese,

Zhao Ming, Falun Gong Prisoner of Conscience.

You were kind enough to express concern to the Chinese government about the detention and alleged mistreatment of Zhao Ming, a post-graduate student at Trinity College, who was arrested and sentenced to prison when back in China visiting his family.

No doubt you remember the case. His only offence was to practise his beliefs as a practitioner of Falun Gong, and the authorities in jailing him were in flagrant breach of the Chinese constitution which guarantees freedom of belief.

Zhao Ming's original sentence came to an end in May of last year, but it was prolonged for ten months and he is finally to be released early in March.

The hope is that he will then be allowed to return to Ireland to complete his studies. However, the Chinese Government is certainly not moderating its persecution of the Falun Gong and there is a danger that Zhao Ming will not be allowed to leave China. Knowing how committed he is to his beliefs, we his friends are afraid that if he stays in China he may well be re-arrested, or worse.

A letter from you to the Chinese Government welcoming Zhao Ming's forthcoming release and expressing the hope that he will be free to return to Dublin might well influence the Chinese Government to let him leave the country. It is possible that they are in two minds as to what to do, as in some other individual instance they have yielded to pressure from abroad to allow Falun Gong supporters to leave China.

Representations from you would contribute powerfully to persuading them that continued harassment of this individual would bring them a disproportionate amount of international discredit.

Yours sincerely,

LORD MOYNE