By Harry Papachristou – Reuters
Followers of the banned religious movement
Falun Gong gathered here yesterday just days before the Athens Games to call on
China to immediately improve human rights in the country ahead of the 2008 Olympics
in Beijing.
In a news conference just eight days before the opening of the
August 13-29 Olympic Games, Falun Gong accused China of violating the Olympic
spirit. “In a few days, the Athens Olympics will belong to the past, while
the Games’ flag… will be turned over to Beijing, the capital of a country
which on the eve of the 21st century continues violating fundamental human rights,”
the group said in a press statement.
“Help China make sure that when
it hosts the Olympics in four years’ time, it will respect human rights,”
Wu Wenxin from the European Falun Gong union urged journalists.
Two Greek
Falun Gong activists also filed charges against three top Chinese officials, including
former President Jiang Zemin and former Vice President Li Lanqing, for alleged
torture and harsh treatment they suffered at the hands of Chinese authorities
in 2001 and 2002 respectively.
“We ask Greek prosecutors to issue an
arrest warrant against them if they should come to Greece for the Games,”
their Greek lawyer Stavros Tsakirakis said.
[…]
The Chinese Embassy
in Athens told AFP they have “no information” on Jiang coming to Athens
for the Games.
“It is the first time that Greek justice has been called
on to rule on a case of torture abroad,” said Nikos Livos, a law specialist
at Athens University.
The lawsuit is the latest in a long list of similar
actions Falun Gong has taken in other countries, such as the United States, Germany
and France.
Posting date: 8/Aug/2004
Original article date: 7/Aug/2004
Category:
Media Report
