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Against Article 23

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Published on 8/3/2002 Canadian Falun Gong practitioners held a news conference inside the Parliament Building on August 2 2002 and are rallying across the country today, in front of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, to appeal for attention and help to end the ongoing political prosecution of Swiss and Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioners by Hong Kong police. They also expressed serious concerns for Hong Kong’s reputation as a free and democratic society. This photo shows the appeal site, which clearly had plenty room for pedestrians. However, practitioners were charged for "Obstructing the Street" by police.

Canadian Falun Gong Practitioners Appeal for the End of Hong Kong Police's Political Prosecution (III)

Published on 8/3/2002 Canadian Falun Gong practitioners held a news conference inside the Parliament Building on August 2 2002 and are rallying across the country today, in front of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, to appeal for attention and help to end the ongoing political prosecution of Swiss and Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioners by Hong Kong police. They also expressed serious concerns for Hong Kong’s reputation as a free and democratic society. This photo shows tht Hong Kong police forcefully took practitioners away from the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong.

Canadian Falun Gong Practitioners Appeal for the End of Hong Kong Police's Political Prosecution (II)

Published on 8/3/2002 Canadian Falun Gong practitioners held a news conference inside the Parliament Building on August 2 2002 and are rallying across the country today, in front of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, to appeal for attention and help to end the ongoing political prosecution of Swiss and Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioners by Hong Kong police. They also expressed serious concerns for Hong Kong’s reputation as a free and democratic society. This photo shows tht Hong Kong police forcefully took practitioners away from the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong.

Canadian Falun Gong Practitioners Appeal for the End of Hong Kong Police's Political Prosecution (I)

Published on 8/8/2002 Since the court opened on June 17, the trial of Falun Gong practitioners facing obstruction charges has been prolonged and postponed again and again. Finally, Tuesday August 6, lawyers of both prosecutors and defendants presented their final arguments. The defense lawyer pointed out in his final submission that the unusual way that the Hong Kong government dealt with this case and the major prosecutor’s fallacious arguments during witness testimony show that this is not an ordinary obstruction case. During the trial, the judge also expressed to the court that he is facing a very important decision, which will affect the Hong Kong people’s future freedoms of appeal and assembly.

Hong Kong: Defense Attorney Points Out in His Final Submission that the False Accusations Are "Political Persecution"

Published on 8/14/2002 On 2pm of August 12, 2002, Falun Gong practitioners started a 54-hour Hunger Strike Petition in Hong Kong to protest the introduction of Article 23 which evidently targets at practitioners in Hong Kong.

Hunger Strike Petition in Hong Kong Against Article 23 (II)

Published on 8/14/2002 On 2pm of August 12, 2002, Falun Gong practitioners started a 54-hour Hunger Strike Petition in Hong Kong to protest the introduction of Article 23 which evidently targets at practitioners in Hong Kong.

Hunger Strike Petition in Hong Kong Against Article 23 (I)

Published on 8/14/2002 On 2pm of August 12, 2002, Falun Gong practitioners started a 54-hour Hunger Strike Petition in Hong Kong to protest the introduction of Article 23 which evidently targets at practitioners in Hong Kong.

Hunger Strike Petition in Hong Kong Against Article 23

Published on 12/14/2002 Apply Daily reported on December 13 that the Hong Kong Journalist Association called on members to ask friends to participate in the demonstration against legislation on article 23 held in Victoria Park on Sunday and said it was time to step forward. The International Education Association also called on teachers to respond. Eight college instructors met with Security Secretary Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, and they collected more than 500 signatures from college instructors to oppose the legislation. Many organizations also asked their members to participate in the campaign. Five local residents started a 48-hour hunger strike in the cold starting yesterday’s evening in order to protest the Hong Kong authorities’ attempt to trample on human rights with new legislation.

Apply Daily: Hong Kong Journalist Association Calls for Demonstration: It's Time to Step forward

Published on 12/14/2002 On December 13, 2002, a Canadian Member of Parliament and many non-government organizations held a joint press conference in Parliament to explain their positions opposing Article 23 legislation and to call on the Canadian government to express its position clearly before the end of public consultation.

Those attending the press conference included Mr. Stockwell Day, Member of Parliament, Mr. Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International, Mr. Cheuk Kwan, Chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China, Ms. Dai, a representative of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada.

Canadian Member of Parliament and Organizations jointly Oppose Legislation on Article 23 in Hong Kong

Published on 12/16/2002 Chinese Media Reports from Hong Kong: 60,000 March against Article 23; Eleven Times More Than Expected. Many media covered this grand event.

60,000 March against Article 23; Eleven Times More Than Expected

Published on 12/16/2002 On December 14 2002, German practitioners from Dresden and the surrounding cities took part in activities in the busy centre of Dresden. They set up an information stand and later carried out a parade and walked around the city. The practitioners hoped to tell people about the Jiang regime’s attempts to spread their terror tactics to Hong Kong by enacting the Article 23 legislation. This would allow the Chinese dictator Jiang to directly persecute Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong and take away the human rights of all citizens in this free and democratic society. The German practitioners also told the public about their friends and family members who are imprisoned in labour camps and detention centres in China and asked for help to have them freed. They could be suffering from torture and beatings and their lives are at risk; unofficial sources put the death toll of innocent Falun Gong practitioners at over 1,600. The friends and family members of German practitioners include Ms. Xiong Wei, Mr. Liu Shan, Mrs. Hui-qin Pan, Mr. Liu Hongbo, Mrs. Zhang Xinxing, and Mrs. Wang Xiaoyan.

After the parade, practitioners got together to study the Fa and share understandings. They talked about how they could improve their effort in clarifying the truth about the persecution in China and allow them to see through the Jiang regime’s deceitful lies.

Germany: Parade to Appeal Against Article 23 and Request for Help to Rescue Our Family Members

Published on 12/21/2002 he Taiwan Legislature held a public hearing to oppose Hong Kong’s Article 23 on December 19, 2002, which was sponsored by the Taiwan Human Rights Promotion Association. The speakers included Human Rights Commissioner in the Presidential Office Yang Hsien-Hung, Legislation Committee members Lin Cho-Shui and Chien Shi, President of the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association Chang Ching-Chi, Director of China Human Rights Association Wu Hui-Lin, and Chairman of Department of Politic Science, Taiwan University, Ming Chu-Cheng. Many people from all walks of life concerned about the people of Hong Kong’s freedom and human rights attended the meeting.

Taiwan Government and Civilians Oppose Hong Kong's Article 23

Published on 12/23/2002 At noon December 19, 2002, Chinese-Australians from all walks of life rallied at Circular Quay organized by "Global Coalition Against Article 23 in Australia" to show their concern and strong opposition to Hong Kong’s Article 23 legislation, which will destroy human rights, democracy and freedom in Hong Kong. Many representatives from human rights organization, scholars and overseas Chinese spoke at the rally, and called on the international community to stand up and take responsibility to prevent the Article 23 legislation.

Ms. Dianne Hiles of China Rapid Action Network Coordinator gave a speech. She stated that the organization was aware of all the affairs that affected human rights in the world. Many laws were not clearly defined, just like "Treason" and "Sedition." She said, "Article 23 of the Basic Law comes along, which threatens to curb human rights ANYWHERE.... Rather than modernizing Hong Kong legislation, this is a step backwards. Amnesty International calls for a much longer consultation period."

Qin Jin of Democracy China League hosted the rally. He said, "Let us appeal for Hong Kong’s human rights and freedom in this free land of Australia. If Hong Kong passes Article 23, Hong Kong’s people will lose the freedom of speech in Hong Kong.

Dr. Zhang Xiaogang from Democracy China said that Article 23 took all the Hong Kong people as hostages. Nowadays, Hong Kong is like a frog in the pot. The temperature is being increased slowly so the frog will not feel the pain while being cooked. The Article 23 legislation is the life or death point.

Dr. Zhang Xiaogang also talked about the "treason law." He said that there was no such law in Australia because there was no use for violence. It is same in Hong Kong. If you don’t use violence, there is no "treason." The Article 23 consultation document defines the term vaguely. If I say, "Chief Tung should step down," does this amount to "sedition?" If anyone says it at home, does it mean that the wife and children have to report them to the police? To Hong Kong people, it affects everyone’s interest. Nobody can live a peaceful life anymore.

Ms. Mo Junshu, an Australian from Hong Kong, said that she had never dared to speak in front of so many people before, but she couldn’t keep silent today. She wrote a poem "How can I be silent anymore" to express her anger about the Article 23 legislation.

Westerner Ms. Colleen May said in her speech: "I am personally concerned about the effect this legislation will have on our country, whether through trade, research or human rights abuses. This Article 23 has raised great concern internationally, because it will impact every country linked with Asia. This basically includes the entire world."

A Doctoral student doing research on China Issues in New South Wales University read "A Public Letter to the Hong Kong People." The letter said December 15, 2002 was a glorious day for Hong Kong. Tens of thousands of Hong Kong people participated in the demonstration against the subversion law on that day. This was a battle to defend Hong Kong’s freedom. The Hong Kong people are not only defending Hong Kong, but also defending the freedom for all of China. From this point of view, safeguarding Hong Kong will mean not only safeguarding the moral standard, but also safeguarding the hope of a future with freedom.

Dr. Lambert expressed his concern that the interference from mainland China would destroy the promise of "No Change in 50 Years." The "One Country, Two Systems" will become "One Country, One System."

After 1 P.M., the parade against Article 23 legislation started. Over 200 people held posters in both Chinese and English that read, "Global Coalition against Hong Kong Article 23 Signature Collection," "Support Hong Kong people Against Article 23," "Unwanted Christmas Gifts," "Evil Article 23 Law Deprives Freedom," "Evil Law, Fake Consultation, Freedom of Speech Confiscated" and "Only Beijing Can Subvert Hong Kong." The peaceful parade procession slowly walked through central Sydney and many people watched the parade. Hundreds of flyers were passed out during the parade.

The parade ended in Chinatown, and four Chinese gave impromptu speeches there. After the parade, around 2:30 P.M., some Chinese went to city hall square to continue the "Against Article 23 Signature Drive" and distribute flyers. The whole event finished at 8 P.M.

Rally and Parade Against Hong Kong Article 23 in Central Sydney

Published on 12/24/2002 On December 23rd at 5 pm, a "Keep Hong Kong Free, Stop Article 23" Rally was held in front of the Melbourne City Hall. The rally was organized by the Global Coalition Against Article 23, Amnesty International, the Chinese Democratic Movement Overseas Joint Conference, the Chinese Democratic Progressive Party, the Falun Dafa Association in Victoria, Friends of Falun Gong in Australia and people from the academic, religious, business circles. Nine participants delivered speeches during the rally.

Melbourne Community Holds Rally Against Hong Kong's Article 23 Legislation

Published on 12/25/2002 On December 22, 2002, Swiss Dafa practitioners overcame many difficulties, and gathered outside the Chinese Embassy in Switzerland from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to practice the Falun Dafa exercises and send forth righteous thoughts to support worldwide activities against Article 23 legislation. The practitioners realized that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is to enact Article 23 under the pressure from Jiang’s regime. It directly aims at Dafa and Dafa practitioners and also is an obvious display of the evil’s last desperate efforts overseas. We will definitely deny the arrangement of the old forces. Dafa practitioners should immediately take actions to clarify the truth and eliminate the evil.

It rained all day on December 22, but the practitioners persisted in doing the exercises and sending righteous thoughts in the rain for eight hours. All practitioners were soaked through with muddy water. From December 23, Swiss Dafa practitioners held a signature campaign in some cities to oppose Article 23 legislation. Their actions have won active support from numerous citizens and many expressed their thanks to Dafa pratitioners.

Swiss Dafa Practitioners Send Forth Righteous Thoughts Outside Chinese Embassy, Supporting Worldwide Activities Against Article 23 Legislation