News was released in the Singapore media on May 28th, 2006 that, under invitation from Lee Kuan Yee, the former head of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) 610 Office Li Lanqing would be conferred with an honorary doctorate by the National University of Singapore. After this occured, there were a series of incidents in Singapore attempting to repatriate Falun Gong practitioners, attempting to ban Falun Gong practitioners from holding truth clarification activities in front of the Chinese Embassy and bringing Falun Gong practitioners to court.
At the same time that nine practitioners appeared in court on July 14th, the major Chinese and English media in Singapore including The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao (Chinese daily), Lianhe Wanbao (Chinese daily) and My Newspaper (Wo Bao) published a series of slanderous articles on Falun Gong, which practitioners believe were directed by high-level authorities. These articles were then republished in China after being trumped up even more by the CCP's mouthpiece.
The articles especially targeted Ms. Huang Chay Hua, who has been persisting in her protest in front of the Chinese Embassy every day for the previous year.
Ms. Huang said out that she was alone doing the exercise at the time of her arrest, while behind her there hung a banner with a message protesting Li Lanqing.
The situation is extremely worrying. We hope that the government of Singapore will attach importance to morality, justice and conscience, withdraw the charges against Falun Gong practitioners and no longer curry favour with the CCP. Only by doing so, can Singapore have a bright future.
The following series of incidents have happened since May 28th, 2006;
On June 2nd, 2006, Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Nie Ge who held dual legal residency status, suddenly had her work permit cancelled. She was taken to the police station and detained for eight hours.
On June 14th, 2006, the Immigration and Checkpoint Authorities (ICA) notified Chinese practitioner, Ms. Yang, that she had to leave Singapore within three days. She was staying in Singapore with legal status at the time. On June 15th, with help from international human rights organisations, she left Singapore of her own accord.
On July 10th, 2006, the ICA decided not to consider the practitioner's appeal for an extended stay, and demanded that she leave Singapore no later than the next day. The same day, nine practitioners received summons' from the police, requiring them to appear in court on July 14th. The charge was assembly without permit. The reason for the charge was that the above mentioned practitioners distributed flyers exposing the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong and supporting five million withdrawals from the CCP and its affiliated organisations in downtown areas on October 22nd and 23rd last year. During the activities, practitioners did not have any conflicts with either passersby or police.
The date of the court appearance was originally on July 4th (The first day of Li Lanqing's Seal Cutting Exhibition). This was later changed to July 14th.
On July 12th, 2006, Ms. Huang Chay Hua went alone to the front of the Chinese Embassy as usual to do the exercises. She carried a small banner on her back. Soon after she set up, more than a dozen plainclothes police came to the site, took her to the police car and then to the Tanglin Police Station. The police told Ms. Huang she was being investigated on the charge of "Malicious Harassment," because the words on her banner protested against Li Lanqing participation in the persecution of Falun Gong. Ms. Huang later returned home on bail.
On July 14th, the nine practitioners appeared in court and all pleaded not guilty. The court gave eight of the practitioners a one week extension until July 21st to be back in court. Another practitioner was given a three week extension until August 4th.
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