Associated Press
June 13, 2002

REYKJAVIK, Iceland - Iceland lifted a ban on Falun Gong [practitioners] entering the country Wednesday just as an official four-day visit by China's President Jiang Zemin was due to begin.

The government imposed the ban five days earlier after receiving reports that suggested the movement, which was outlawed in China in 1999, was rallying hundreds of protesters to converge in the Icelandic capital.

Police detained more than 65 people on arrival, citing national security after Iceland said it did not have enough police to deal with a large demonstration.

They were freed on Wednesday.

In Copenhagen, Denmark, 42 Falun Gong practitioners were barred Wednesday from boarding a flight to Iceland. Following Iceland's change of heart, 16 were allowed to board a flight to Iceland, and others were expected to fly out today, said Astthor Ingasson, Iceland-air's station manager in Copenhagen.

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