NSW Australia: Falun Gong protest outside Chinese consulate

SYDNEY, Oct 30 AAP - Almost 100 Falun Gong demonstrators gathered outside the Chinese consulate in Sydney today to protest at the detention of prisoners held in Jilin Prison in north-eastChina.

Protesters lined the street outside the consulate holding banners calling for the release of around 100 Falun Gong followers on hunger strike, who they say are being tortured by prison guards.

Relatives of past prisoners who have died in China sat in silence outside the consulate gates holding wreaths bearing the names and photographs of their lost loved ones.

Falun Gong spokeswoman Kay Rubacek spoke of the conditions in the jail in the Jilin province and claimed prisoners were routinely attacked by prison wardens.

"These are just 100 people out of millions who are being held unfairly in prisons across China," she said.

"The 100 (Falun Gong) practitioners are in Jilin Prison and they are on an extended hunger strike in protest at the torture by guards of prisoners.We are calling for the immediate release of these prisoners and an end to the torture carried out by prison guards at Jilin."