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Hong Kong Human Rights Commission
Joint Statement on the attitude of the Hong Kong SAR Government towards Falun Gong Incident on 4 February 2001. |
| 1. The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region guarantees
to everyone in Hong Kong the freedoms of association, of assembly, of procession
and of demonstration (Art 27 & 39); and the freedoms of conscience and
to religious belief and practice (Art 32 & 39).
2. We are concerned that recent open statements by officials of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong and certain personages of influence towards the activities of the "Falun Gong" in Hong Kong may have conveyed the message that the HKSAR Government was being urged to prohibit all activities of that movement in Hong Kong. 3. To date, we fail to see that the Falun Gong followers were doing anything other than exercising their fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Basic Law in pursuing those activities in Hong Kong. 4. There were criticisms from certain personages of influence that Falun Gong followers have targeted at the Central Government citing their practice in front of the Liaison Office or like incidents. We like to iterate the fact that articulating grievances, petitioning the authorities, criticisms of the Central Government and the Chinese Communist Party in a peaceful way have always been a way of life in Hong Kong. These are all legitimate acts in line with international human rights standards protected by the laws of Hong Kong including the Basic Law. To suppress Falun Gong on the ground of such activities will not be simply a matter for Falun Gong, it will become the first step to suppress all groups and individuals holding different views from those of the Central Government. 5. Any attempts to suppress or threats to suppress such activities or the organisation, whether of Falun Gong or other societies or individual, will seriously undermine the freedoms of Hong Kong. The political intolerance towards peaceful exercise of rights is totally inconsistent with a free Hong Kong. All authorities should avoid doing it for political ends or administrative convenience. 6. We call on Hong Kong people to uphold our fundamental rights and the autonomy of Hong Kong even though you may disagree with Falun Gong. We also call on the Hong Kong SAR Government to re-affirm its commitment to the freedoms of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration, and the freedoms of conscience and to religious belief and practice. Hong Kong Human Rights Commission 4 February 2001 |