Under big pressure from China, the approval by the French Police and the Paris City Authority of Falun Gong practitioners’ application to take part in the Chinese New Year celebration activities was denied. This matter is an infringement of the basic rights of a legal group in the country of France.
Falun Gong practitioners wrote letters to the General Bureau of the Police and the Paris City Authority, and also appealed to all sections of European society to encourage and support the French authorities to resist the pressure of the totalitarian Chinese regime and safeguard the French principles of “Freedom, Equality, and Fraternity”. They also appealed to people in all walks of life to support the legal rights and interests of Falun Gong practitioners.
The letters of appeal were mailed to all political circles, human rights groups and media in various countries in Europe. Those who actively responded to this appeal includes L.L. Forster (a senior lawyer in France), William Bourdon, members of Coalition Mondiale Contre la Peine de Mort, lawyer Sedillot, l'Association Nationale Franco-Asiatique, Association Amitie Europe-Asie, Michel Taube (the Chairman of Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort), Uwe Schummer (German Member of Parliament), Emma Bonino (Italian Member of European Parliament), and Mrs. Glibb (the Head of the Austrian branch of the International Human Rights Association).
The European branch of “The World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong" and German Falun Gong practitioners wrote letters respectively to the French police, the Paris City Authority, and the Chinese Embassy in France.
AFP, International Herald Tribune, France Info, the French International Broadcasting Station and Europe’s mainstream media all reported on the Chinese authorities pressuring the French government. There were even reporters who called relevant departments in France to express their concern.
According to news from many sources, the Chinese Embassy is afraid that western people have found out that they have put pressure on the French authorities. They tried every possible way to create rumours and to stir up trouble for Falun Gong. However, many overseas Chinese people have already pointed out the obvious: it is impossible for the embassy staff to stop Falun Gong outside of China when it is already so popular all over the world.
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