Four British Falun Gong practitioners were among 14 Westerners arrested today in Beijing. The UK practitioners who have been arrested are: Lee Hall, 21, an English student at Loughborough University; Earl Rhodes, 36, a BBC cameraman; Rosemary Katzen, 42, a senior tutor with LET Training Services; and Robert Gibson, 70, a retired osteopath. Latest information reaching us suggests that around 50 police burst into the hotel in which they were staying and took them away. Two policemen dragged Rosemary Katzen from the room - one pulling her hair. Another policeman pushed Robert Gibson and manhandled Earl Rhodes. One tried to knock Earl over with an open van door.

There is no reason for the police to attack these practitioners who were peacefully travelling through Beijing as tourists. They have not broken any of the laws of China. The practitioners are currently (10 pm UK time) being held in a hotel near the airport. The top floor has been especially furnished with metal detectors and x-ray machines.

So far they have not been allowed to contact the British Embassy.

We urge the British Government to act swiftly to obtain the release of these practitioners.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Peter Jauhal on 07712197567 or + 44 20 8332 6313 or visit the websites www.clearharmony.net, www.faluninfo.net

Posting date: 2/14/2002
Original article date: 2/13/2002
Category: News & Media Reports

 Yearly Archive  Printer Version

_____Related Articles_____ Falun Gong Practitioners Stage Large International Appeal on Tiananmen Square to End Persecution in China [2/14/2002] Falun Dafa Information Center Responds to Violent Arrests of 40 Western Practitioners in China [2/14/2002] On Eve of Chinese New Year, Two Western Practitioners from North America Arrested on Tiananmen Square (Photos) [2/11/2002] Beijing Mayor, President Of Beijing Olympic Committee, Served U.S. Lawsuit For Persecution Of Falun Gong [2/9/2002] State-Sanctioned Violence Results in Two More Falun Gong Deaths [2/9/2002] "Falun Dafa Day" Celebrated in 20+ Provinces in China [2/9/2002] Human Rights Watch Report on Falun Gong Exposes China's Brutal 2.5-Year Terror Campaign [2/8/2002] 500 Falun Gong Gather at Olympic Games To Raise Awareness of Torture and Deaths in China [2/8/2002] Falun Gong to Hold Large-scale Peaceful Demonstration in New York during the World Economic Forum [2/1/2002] Young Chinese Mother Dies from Torture in Police Custody [1/30/2002]