Friday, April 30, 2004

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Falun Gong meditation group charged on Friday that at least 12 followers from Taiwan and Macau were barred from entering Hong Kong for what officials described as "security reasons".

[...]

The Falun Gong practitioners had hoped to visit Hong Kong for a group conference this weekend, but at least 12 have been turned away and sent back to Taiwan and Macau since Wednesday, Falun Gong spokesman Kan Hung-cheung said.

Four were barred on Friday, Mr Kan said.

Eleven of the Falun Gong followers came from Taiwan and one was from the nearby gambling enclave of Macau, he said.

"We strongly protest the Hong Kong government's unreasonable action to deny entry to our practitioners," Mr Kan said.

Some of the Taiwanese said in a statement late on Thursday that Hong Kong immigration authorities had refused them entry for "security reasons," but didn't elaborate.

Mr Kan said officials had searched some of the Falun Gong practitioners and their luggage before sending them home. He also claimed that an official injected unspecified medicine into the leg of one woman.

[...]

Falun Gong frequently protests in Hong Kong to demand the right to practice its beliefs on the mainland, creating a dilemma for the territory's government, which allows freedom of speech but doesn't want to offend Beijing.

Falun Gong expects 800 followers - including some from Macau, Taiwan, Japan and Malaysia - to attend a two-day conference starting Saturday. They also planned a march to China's representative office in Hong Kong on Sunday.

Security is usually tight when the group holds conferences in Hong Kong. Kan said 80 foreign practitioners were barred from entry to Hong Kong for a similar conference in February last year, but the government has declined to confirm this.

Falun Gong followers believe they can improve their health, morality and peace of mind through meditation and slow-motion exercise.

http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZ3RZQEXRD.html