(Clearwisdom.net June 14, 2003)

MP Sven-Erik Sjostrand questioned the Swedish Foreign Minister, Anna Lindh, about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

Sven-Erik Sjostrand: What is the Minister going to do to prevent pressure from the Chinese government in Europe and Sweden, and also to prevent the persecution of Falun Gong in Europe and in Sweden?

Mrs. Pirjo Svensson has now been detained without reason in Thailand for 35 days. She is a Falun Gong practitioner and was deprived of her freedom on the day the Chinese president [premier] attended an Asian leaders' SARS-related conference, which clearly proves that the Chinese government was behind and has controlled the incident with Pirjo. Pirjo's case is only one of the many similar incidences of the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Last year when Jiang visited Iceland, more than 100 Falun Gong practitioners were prohibited from entering the country because they were placed on a blacklist. In Denmark, permission for Falun Gong practitioners to attend a Cultural Festival on September 21, 2002 was cancelled due to pressure from the Chinese authorities. In March of this year, the Chinese Embassy in Romania stopped a Falun Gong practitioner's (Zhang Cui Ying's) traditional Chinese painting exhibition. On the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg celebrations, the Falun Gong parade and their traditional music demonstration and dance was interfered with. Falun Gong practitioners were prevented from facing Chinese government representatives. For the past few years, Sweden has been trying to raise these matters at different levels with the Chinese government. This persecution, however, continues. Now it has even extended to Europe.

Dear Anna Lindh, the Foreign Minister:

What are the strategies regarding the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, and this persecution extending to Europe and Sweden?

?