Falun Gong gathering delays trial (AFP, 12/4/99) Falun Gong gathering delays trial A trial of Beijing leaders of the Falun Gong was postponed for the second time yesterday after hundreds of members of the outlawed spiritual group gathered around the Intermediate People's Court in the capital. Falun Gong members began to gather in the morning in a further effort to express their dissatisfaction with the government-led crackdown which began after an estimated 10,000 members gathered around the Communist Party headquarters in Beijing in April. "At least 300 of us were there, but they said that the trial wouldn't be held today," said Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Lingling. "They brought in a bus and forced many people on to it." It was the second time the authorities had postponed the trial, which was originally scheduled to begin on Wednesday. A court official said: "The Beijing People's Procuratorate said a supplementary investigation was necessary. It requested the court to postpone the trial." According to the state press, all four defendants - leaders of the group's Beijing branch - have been charged with leaking state secrets related to the mainland-wide crackdown on the group which mixes traditional meditation with Buddhist and Taoist beliefs, and advocates healthy and clean living. Defence lawyers were not sure when their trial would be rescheduled. Cases involving state secrets are generally held behind closed doors. At least three of the accused are thought to be former government officials or leaders of state-owned enterprises. Li Chang, 59, was believed to be a former deputy director at the Public Security Bureau and allegedly knew of the government crackdown on the group, which was formally announced on July 22, the Hong Kong-based Information Centre of Human Rights and Democratic Movement in China said. Before her arrest, Yao Jie, 42, was the director of the general office of a Beijing property firm. Wang Zhiwen, 50, was an engineer for a materials company under the Railway Ministry, the centre said. Jie Liewu, 36, was a manager of a Hong Kong-based metals company. The American state of Maryland has apologised to the Chinese Embassy in Washington for granting honorary citizenship to Falun Gong founder Li Hongzhi, Xinhua reported. Published in the South China Morning Post. Copyright 1999. All rightsreserved. |