August 26, 2002 Monday
A human rights campaigner criticized a senior Hong Kong official Tuesday for
trying to ban a catalog featuring the artwork of a Falun Gong practitioner - as
well as a Falun Gong message - from an exhibit on public property.
"We believe the interference is arbitrary and politically motivated," said
Law Yuk-kai, director of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, a non-governmental
organization. "It's ridiculous."
Law met with Secretary for Home Affairs Ho Chi-ping on Monday to find out why
the government asked organizers of the art exhibit, which ran Friday through
Monday, to remove copies of the catalog.
The catalog featured works by Zhang Cuiying, an Australian who was barred
from entering Hong Kong last week to open the exhibit of her work, where she
also planned to make an appeal against mainland China's suppression of Falun
Gong.
Law said Ho sidestepped his questions and failed to explain what was wrong
with the catalog, "The Golden Brush," which also includes Falun Gong information
and a message from Zhang criticizing Beijing's efforts to eradicate the
meditation [group] in mainland China.
The exhibition was organized by a U.S. publishing company, Epoch Group Ltd.,
which said it is not affiliated with Falun Gong.
[...]