On Sunday the 1st May at 1:30pm both ACT and NSW Falun Dafa practitioners will
hold an appeal and press conference outside the Singapore High Commission in Canberra.
The
appeal is asking the Singapore Government to reconsider a case involving two Falun
Gong practitioners, Mdm Ng Chye Huay and Mdm Cheng Lu Jin, who on April 27th were
found "guilty" on seven counts, including "assembly without a permit"
and "possession and distribution of illegal VCDs."
Their crime
was handing out materials to passerbys, which document human rights atrocities
to Falun Gong, in a Singapore public park. The same materials are freely handed
out to the public in Australia, North America, Europe, Middle East, South America,
and Africa. Up until three days ago, Communist China was the only country that
would punish for distribution of these materials.
The Chinese Communist
Party has waged a suppressive campaign against Falun Gong for the last 6 years.
Human rights workers documented over 42,000 cases of torture in prison camps of
Falun Gong practitioners. Thousands have died, simply for refusing to renounce
the principles of the peaceful Chinese yoga practice.
China’s campaign
hasn’t stopped at its borders. Government officials have reported being approached
by Chinese officials, asking for cooperation against Falun Gong and blocking news
about torture in China.
Defence counsel for the two accused stressed they
should not be curtailed by any law, since they exercised their Constitutional
rights in a peaceful and orderly manner. The accused refused to pay fines of $20,000
and $24,000 Singaporean dollars, and may face jail sentences of up to 24 weeks.
At least one is on a hunger strike to protest against the injustice.
The
incident has made the international community question Singapore’s legal system,
and if it was caused by diplomatic pressure from Beijing. We call upon the government
of Singapore to reverse this decision and handle this case justly. No government
should sacrifice freedom and liberty for the purpose of currying favour with the
Chinese Communist regime. Any short-term benefits are vastly overshadowed by to
a democratic country’s rule of law, reputation and well-being of its people.
Background:
At least 1,933 Falun Gong practitioners have died in police custody as part
of a global campaign by the Chinese Communist state, to eradicate the practice.
Falun Gong advocates Truth, Compassion and Tolerance and involves performing five
simple meditative exercises and has been in Australia since 1994.
Posting
date: 30/Apr/2005
Original article date: 30/Apr/2005
Category: Media Release
