(Clearwisdom.net) On August 8, 2002, Washington D.C. Falun Dafa practitioners held a press conference in the National Press Club and called on the international community, especially United States and Britain, to take moral responsibility for Hong Kong's "One country, two systems" and pay attention to the false charges against Falun Gong practitioners by the Hong Kong police under the pressure of Jiang's regime.

On March 14, 2002, the Hong Kong police forcefully arrested 16 Falun Gong practitioners in front of the Chinese Liaison Office and wrongfully charged them with obstruction and assaulting the police. The practitioners' appeal occupied 7 square meters and could not have created obstruction of traffic in an area of 140 square meters. The whole incident points to political persecution.

During the press conference, Falun Gong practitioners said that the obstruction case had entered its final stage. The case occurred after Jiang ordered secretly "to persecute overseas Falun Gong practitioners with law" in February of this year. On July 1, 2002, when Hong Kong held the fifth anniversary celebration of returning to China's rule, China's Vice Premier Qian Qichen asked Hong Kong to establish anti-subversion laws to prevent Falun Gong from holding any activities in Hong Kong. Currently, Falun Gong practitioners are contacting Hong Kong's Trade and Economic Office in the United States to express their concern about the obstruction case and explain the truth of the Jiang regime's persecution of Falun Gong in China. At the same time, the practitioners are also contacting the British Embassy and Swiss Embassy in the United States to request their attention to Hong Kong's recent situation.

Shi Wei, a Falun Gong practitioner from Washington DC, talked about how she was tied up by the Hong Kong police and forcefully carried to a plane when she tried to enter Hong Kong customs in May 2001 during Jiang's visit. She said, "Hong Kong police disregarded the law and for no reason forcefully expelled an American permanent resident for no reasonable cause." She said that the police officer taking charge of her told her, "We have no other choice. We know Falun Gong is peaceful and you are all good people. However, we are carrying out orders from upper level officials. Not letting you in this time does not mean that we'll never allow you in." Shi Wei said, "The police officer indicated that we could enter Hong Kong once Jiang left."

After Shi Wei talked about her experiences, the organizers of the press conference played twice the video footage showing the Hong Kong police arresting Falun Gong practitioners using force, which showed the reporters how the incident unfolded and the absurdity of the charges of "assaulting the police" and "obstruction."

The Falun Gong practitioners told the reporters that the Hong Kong government received pressure from the Jiang regime. From Germany to Iceland and Hong Kong, the local governments were in violation of local laws under pressure exerted by Jiang and violated human rights by depriving the freedom of Falun Gong practitioners during Jiang's visits. The Hong Kong persecution is just a part of Jiang's plan to export his persecution of Falun Gong.

Finally, the host answered questions of reporters from Voice of America and RFA.

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Following is the press statement from Washington D.C. Falun Dafa Practitioners' Association.

Washington D.C. Falun Dafa Association
August 8, 2002

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Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen:

On March 14, 2002, four Swiss practitioners and twelve Hong Kong practitioners started a peaceful appeal in front of the Peoples' Republic of China Liaison Office in Hong Kong. On July 9, Hong Kong police arrested the practitioners with the charges of "obstruction of traffic" and "assaulting police." Recently the Hong Kong court is open again. Now the court is in the process of coming up with a verdict.

Washington D.C. Falun Dafa Association has formally requested an official meeting with Hong Kong Trade and Economic Office in the US to express our concern regarding this case. Today, I represent the Washington D.C. Falun Dafa Association to call for the world's attention on the trial of Hong Kong as it enters its final stage.

In response to the Jiang regime's escalating assault on innocent Falun Gong practitioners, including Jiang's order to "shoot on sight," on March 14, 2002 four Swiss practitioners and twelve Hong Kong practitioners started a peaceful appeal in front of the Peoples' Republic of China Liaison Office in Hong Kong. Soon after, under the pressure from the liaison office, policemen quickly arrived and surrounded the practitioners. Later on, the police charged the practitioners with "obstruction of traffic" and "assaulting police."

Looking back, this is not an isolated incident. Before this, there already happened a number of times that Hong Kong authorities followed a "blacklist" to block overseas Falun Gong practitioners from entering Hong Kong to peacefully appeal during Jiang's visit. According to the resources, back to last February, Jiang gave instructions to use legislative means to persecute the Falun Gong practitioners outside of China. On July 1, 2002 the Vice Premier Qian Qisheng urged Hong Kong in public to ban Falun Gong activities. Since then, we have seen a series of incidents in Germany, Iceland and Hong Kong during Jiang's visits, where the local authorities went against both their own and international laws to violate Falun Gong practitioners' human rights. Connecting these incidents together, it is not difficult to see that these have been plotted as a part of scheme to defame Falun Gong.

This arrest and trial have breached the freedoms of expression and assembly that Hong Kong residents and visitors have historically enjoyed, and have challenged the integrity of Hong Kong's justice system. They are blatant examples of the pressure that Jiang applies to governments around the world in his attempt to defame Falun Gong and thereby justify his cruel persecution.

Due to the special historical and economic background of Hong Kong, the whole world is closely watching whether the Hong Kong government can resist Beijing's political influence and stand by its own policies. This is trial, in fact, is a trial of Hong Kong. It is a test to see whether the Hong Kong government can truly carry out the policy of "one country, two systems".

In the history of mankind, when innocent people of goodwill were persecuted by political powers, the consequence has often been disaster befalling a nation, a region, or even the whole world. We hope that Hong Kong will not follow such a course. Upholding the rule of law and protecting Falun Gong practitioners from political persecution are, in fact, protecting the interests common to all Hong Kong people.