For Immediate Release 23/4/2002 [www.clearHARMONY.net]

German Security Agents Reportedly Put Under High Pressure By Chinese Officials

BERLIN, April 23rd 2002 (European Falun Gong Information Centre) - During Jiang Zemin's official visit to Germany, the European Falun Gong Information Centre has documented many cases of harassment from both Chinese security agents and the German police. Two German based NGOs IGFM (International Society for Human Rights) and GfbV (Society for Threatened People) wrote a co-signed letter to the German Chancellor stressing that freedom of demonstration must not be violated even under high pressure from outside. Below are some examples of harassment:

Chinese security brutally grabbed the throat of a peaceful protester in German territory

When Jiang Zemin's car procession arrived in front of the Hotel Kempinski in Dresden on April 11, 2002, a slender woman emerged from among the spectators and cried "Falun Gong." Immediately, a Chinese secret service man pounced on the woman, grabbed her by the throat and started choking her. On his heels came two German security officers who dragged the woman from the scene.

The lady, Mrs. Zhang gave the following statement to journalists the next day: "[...] I saw Jiang Zemin and called to him 'Falun Dafa is good!' I had barely spoken those words when a Chinese secret service agent [...] pounced on me and squeezed my throat shut. I could no longer breathe and could not make a sound." Her throat was still swollen.

Evicted from her hotel for displaying a banner

During the morning of April 9, 2002 an American citizen stood at the outside entrance to the Adlon Hotel in Berlin, where she was a registered guest. When Jiang Zemin and his people emerged from the hotel, she removed a yellow banner from her handbag. The banner read "Falun Gong." Immediately, a man from the Chinese Secret Service rushed forward, slammed into her, violently pushed her aside, ripped the banner out of her hands and handed it to a German security officer. The banner was not returned to her. The German Secret Service prompted the hotel management to evict her from the hotel.

Asians and Citizens wearing yellow not wanted

According to inter-office memos, the local police authorities, under pressure and duress from the leadership, were required to keep demonstrators out of sight of the Chinese leadership. To comply, the police forces were requested to deny any citizen who happened to be wearing a yellow piece of clothing or a scarf access to the Hotel Adlon. Passers-by were also not exempt.

In talking to several German police officers, we understand that Jiang Zemin put extreme pressure on the German host to keep protesters out of his sight. However, legal and peaceful protest should though be guaranteed in a democratic country ruled by law.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EUROPEAN FALUN GONG INFORMATION CENTRE-

Contact: Peter Jauhal

More contacts: http://www.falungonginfo.net/europe.htm

Website: http://www.clearharmony.net

E-mail: europe@falungonginfo.net

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Falun Gong is an ancient spiritual practice which has over 100 million practitioners in over 50 countries around the world. In July 1999 the Chinese Regime started persecuting the people who practise Falun Gong in China. Subsequently many hundreds of practitioners have been killed; thousands have been put into labour camps; and millions have lost their jobs and places of study.

The European Falun Gong Information Centre was formed to expose the crimes committed by the Chinese regime aginst Falun Gong practitioners in China. Even Falun Gong practitioners outside China have been harassed, monitored and been denied visas to visit China. So the persecution of Falun Gong is not only a Chinese issue, but an international issue that everyone should be concerned with.