CNN: Hong Kong Admits to Immigration "Blacklist" (Excerpt)

May 22, 2001

HONG KONG, China -- Hong Kong's security chief has acknowledged Hong Kong keeps a "blacklist" of unwanted people.

The revelation follows in the wake of nearly 100 members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement being barred from entering the territory earlier in the month.

The spiritual [group], subject of a strident campaign, is banned in China but legal in Hong Kong, a former British colony with some autonomy.

The deportation of the Falun Gong members has raised questions about the possible erosion of Hong Kong's freedoms to please Beijing.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and is run under the "one country, two systems" model.

[...]

Hong Kong officials have been criticized for deporting almost 100 overseas Falun Gong members in late April and early May.

They were trying to join protests against Beijing during a visit by Chinese President Jiang Zemin to Hong Kong for a business forum.

Ip met diplomats from a number of countries, including the United States and Australia, last week to address their concerns over the barring of their nationals during the economic forum.

[...]

Dow Jones Newswires: Hong Kong Keeps a Blacklist Of Undesirables, Official Says (Excerpt)

May 22, 2001

HONG KONG -- Hong Kong immigration officials keep a blacklist of undesirables, the Hong Kong security secretary said Tuesday at a hearing where lawmakers demanded to know why Falun Gong followers recently were barred from entering.

Hong Kong has denied keeping a blacklist of the 100 Falun Gong meditation [group] adherents who were turned away at the airport earlier this month, ahead of an appearance by Chinese President Jiang Zemin. Falun Gong followers maintained there was a blacklist and that some immigration officials appeared to use special code numbers when stopping people at the passport control.

Secretary of Security Regina Ip acknowledged for the first time Tuesday that a blacklist exists, but she declined to answer questions about whether any of the Falun Gong members are on the list.

[...]

Dozens of foreign followers of the Falun Gong meditation [group] were allowed into Hong Kong ahead of the Fortune Global Forum conference this month, but about 100 were kept out.

Falun Gong has been declared illegal in China, where the group has been subjected to a severe crackdown, because the [party' name omitted] government has been alarmed by the group's organizational abilities. However, the group is still permitted in Hong Kong. However, the Hong Kong government last week disclosed that it is looking into how other countries deal with [term omitted] -- a move widely believed to be targeting Falun Gong.

Posting date: 5/23/2001
Original article date: 5/22/2001
Category: News & Media Reports

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