LONDON (EFGIC) – In its fourth annual review on Hong Kong the 626-member E.U. assembly questioned China's commitment to uphold basic human rights there.

The Article 23 anti-subversion bill has been debated in Hong Kong's legislature since February 2003. The E.U. assembly said it had "serious concern with regard to several aspects of the proposed...legislation," particularly the banning of organisations like the Falun Gong spiritual movement. It added that the bill "must not undermine existing human rights and civil and religious liberties." "The great majority of practitioners in no way threaten the authority of the government," the parliament said.

The E.U. assembly further called on Hong Kong authorities to set up a "statutory" human rights commission to "ensure an effective balance between this (anti-subversive) legislation and respect for fundamental human rights."

European Falun Gong Information Centre spokesman Mr Peter Jauhal, says that the new Article 23 leglislation will have serious effects. “The brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China will spread to Hong Kong,” explains Mr Jauhal, “and the one country two systems policy will be shown to be a sham.”

The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of 648 deaths (reports / sources) since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600, while expert sources estimate that figure to be much higher. Hundreds of thousands have been detained, with more than 100,000 being sentenced to forced labour camps, typically without trial.