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Report from Swedish Newspaper "DN Kultur": Chinese Consulate attempts to Stop Swedish Radio Station from Broadcasting Falun Gong Programmes (Photo)
On September the 19th 2003, major Swedish newspaper "DN Kultur"
published a report entitled "Chinese Consulate attempts to Stop Swedish
Radio Station from Broadcasting Falun Gong Programs." The following is the
excerpt from that report: The local radio station in Gothenburg and Mr. Hans Hirschi, a
local politician from the People's Party, told reporters, "The Chinese
Consulate in Gothenburg attempted to stop a Swedish radio station from
broadcasting Falun Gong programs." Yesterday at a press conference held by Falun Gong
practitioners, Mr. Hans Hirschi stated, "An official from the Chinese
consulate gave us a lot of materials slandering Falun Gong and asked us to stop
the Falun Gong Association from broadcasting programs at the local radio
station. After we refused their proposal, they contacted the Management Section
to which the local radio station belongs." The Falun Gong Association broadcasts a two-hour radio
program, in both Swedish and Chinese, every week through a local radio station
in Gothenburg. Part of the content of the broadcast is about the persecution of
Falun Gong practitioners in China. In a conversation with Mr. Hirschi, the Chinese consul hinted
that the good relationship between China and Sweden would be influenced. Mr.
Hirschi was also reminded that cooperation between Gothenburg and Shanghai could
be postponed in the near future, and that the East India Sailboat Group that is
sailing toward Guangzhou City may be affected. The hostess of the Falun Gong program Yvonne Kleberg said,
"We think that this act ignores Swedish law. China has neither the right to
influence the Swedish media nor the right to invade our freedom of
expression." She has already reported the case to the police. The reporter had tried many times to contact the Chinese
consulate in Gothenburg, but in vain. In an interview on the No. 4 TV channel,
the Chinese consul claimed that "freedom of expression is limited." He
did not deny that he had attempted to stop Swedish Falun Gong practitioners'
radio programs. The original article is in Swedish: |