Canada: Falun Gong Practitioners Protest Russia's Unreasonable Deportation of UN Refugees

At noon on May 15th, 2007, Falun Gong practitioners in Ottawa protested in front of the Russian Embassy in Canada regarding Russia's cooperating with the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution policies and deporting UN refugee and Falun Gong practitioner Professor Gao Chunman.

Cultural Consul of the embassy Valerly Chumakoe accepted the protest letter from the Canada Falun Dafa Association.

While being interviewed, Chumakoe clearly stated that he had learned about the persecution of Falun Gong in China and understood the protesters' request. He said that he would give the protest letter and the Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners in China and other materials to the ambassador.

Spokesperson for the Canada Falun Dafa Association Zhou Limin told the reporter, "Russian authorities deported a Falun Gong practitioner and UN refugee on 'World Falun Dafa Day,' May 13th. This is the second time that the Russian authorities have deported Falun Gong practitioners. We are here to appeal to the Russian government not to follow Jiang's group to participate in the persecution. More importantly, we hope Russia considers its international reputation and makes a right choice for the future of its nation."

Practitioners hoped that Russia, a country that has abandoned communism, could make a right choice at this historic moment when the elimination of the CCP is imminent.

In its letter of protest, the Falun Dafa association expressed its regret at seeing the Russian government cooperate with the CCP to deport practitioners to China, where the persecution of Falun Gong is taking place. The letter asked the Russian government to stop deporting Falun Gong refugees to China and to guarantee their safety in Russia. This, they emphasised, would enable Russia to maintain its international reputation.

Russia signed the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. The deportation of Professor Gao violates Articles 32-34 of that convention. Article 32 "Expulsion" stipulates: "The Contracting States shall not expel a refugee lawfully in their territory save on grounds of national security or public order." Article 33 stipulates: "No Contracting State shall expel or return ("refouler") a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion."

Link to the UN's 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees:

http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/refugees.htm