Thu Aug 8,11:56 AM ET

Caption: Four Swiss Falun Gong [practitioners] are pictured outside a magistrate court in Hong Kong June 17, 2002. The four have been charged with public obstruction along with 12 other Falun Gong practitioners. REUTERS/Kin Cheung

Mon Aug 12, 4:41 AM ET

Caption: Falun Gong [practitioners] meditate during a hunger strike in Hong Kong on August 12 ahead of an August 15 verdict in the case of 16 [practitioners], including Swiss and New Zealand nationals, accused of causing public obstruction. REUTERS/Kin Cheung

Mon Aug 12, 7:15 AM ET

Police officers watch meditating Falun Gong [practitioners] during a hunger strike in Hong Kong August 12, 2002. The group called for an end to Beijing's suppression of the [...] spiritual movement and the preservation of freedoms in the territory. The demonstrations take place ahead of Thursday's verdict in the case of 16 Falun Gong [practitioners] accused of causing a public obstruction outside Beijing's main representative office in Hong Kong while protesting China's [persecution of] the movement. REUTERS/Kin Cheung

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Monday August 12, 4:33 PM

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Falun Gong [practitioners] on Monday began a series of protests in Hong Kong to call for an end to Beijing's suppression of the spiritual movement and the preservation of freedoms in the territory.

The demonstrations take place ahead of Thursday's verdict in the case of 16 Falun Gong [practitioners] accused of causing a public obstruction outside Beijing's main representative office in Hong Kong while protesting China's [persecution of] the movement.

The case, Hong Kong's first trial of Falun Gong [practitioners] and also involving Swiss and New Zealand nationals, has raised questions about rights and freedoms in the territory as well as autonomy five years into Chinese rule.

Some of the group also face charges of willfully obstructing police and assaulting police. All have pleaded not guilty to the various charges and remain free on bail.

The protesters said in a statement the demonstrations were "to protest against the (Chinese President) Jiang Zemin regime's exporting its persecution of Falun Gong to Hong Kong, which will put Hong Kong's separate system and her rule of law and human rights in jeopardy".

A score of Falun Gong practitioners were marching on Monday from Tsuen Wan in suburban Hong Kong to Chater Garden in the city's financial heart.

A second group comprising 15 of the 16 defendants in the case began a hunger strike on Monday scheduled to last till Wednesday evening.

A third group of [practitioners] plan another march on Tuesday.

The defendants in the court case include four Swiss nationals, a New Zealander as well as 11 Hong Kong residents. Two of the latter are also U.S. residents.

Falun Gong, [...], is banned in mainland China but legal in Hong Kong. The territory was promised a high degree of autonomy when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Public obstruction carries a maximum fine of HK$5,000 (US$641) or three months in jail. Willfully obstructing police carries a maximum jail term of two years, while assaulting a police officer carries a fine of HK$5,000 and six months' jail.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/reuters/asia-119996.html