AAP (Australia): Chen gives evidence against Downer

July 18, 05

A FORMER Chinese diplomat who defected to Australia is helping the Falun Gong movement in a court case against Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

The movement is taking action in the ACT Supreme Court in a bid to lift restrictions on protests outside the Chinese embassy in Canberra.

The group accuses Mr Downer of signing certificates which ban the use of large banners and musical instruments by protesters demonstrating against the Chinese Government's abuse of Falun Gong practitioners.

The case was the subject of a directions hearing in the court today, and lawyers later revealed former Chinese diplomat Chen Yonglin had provided evidence for the case.

"Chen Yonglin has given an affidavit in these proceedings, I'm not free to say any more," lawyer Bernard Collaery said outside the court.

Mr Chen was granted a permanent protection visa this month, six weeks after abandoning his post at the Chinese consulate-general in Sydney.

He claims there is a network of 1000 Chinese spies operating in

Australia and their duties include monitoring Falun Gong.

[...]

One of the two plaintiffs in the case, Zhang Cuiying, told more than 100 Falun Gong practitioners protesting outside the court that the certificates signed by Mr Downer limited freedom of speech.

"The purpose of our holding banners in front of the Chinese embassy is to let the 1.3 billion Chinese know the truth and the facts about the persecution of Falun Gong," she said through a translator.

The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction to stop further certificates being issued that restrict protests.

The matter will return to the ACT Supreme Court on August 1.

Source: http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,15966068%255E1702,00.html

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