WRITTEN QUESTION E-4061/00 by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Falun Gong.
Date: 2001-01-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, EU relations, crime against individuals, human rights, religious group, repression

C 235 E/54

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

(2001/C 235 E/058)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4061/00

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(15 January 2001)

Subject: Falun Gong

Falun Dafa, or Falun Gong, is a spiritual practice based on mediation similar to Taichi or Yoga which
improves people(cid:146)s physical and mental health. Falun Dafa practitioners in China have been widely
persecuted. Large numbers of Falun Dafa practitioners were arrested on 1 October 2000 on Tiananmen
Square as they were protesting peacefully, on China(cid:146)s National Day, against the repression of their
movement. Falun Dafa followers have been tortured,
imprisoned and killed for merely practising this
very peaceful pastime. One 42-year-old woman was beaten to death while in police custody in Shangdong
Province in October 1999. She is one of 48 people who have died from beatings and torture because they
practice Falun Dafa. Falun Dafa has thousands of followers all over the world.

1.
As a supporter of China(cid:146)s entry into the World Trade Organisation, albeit subject to the human
rights clause, does not the Council think that this widespread persecution constitutes a serious obstacle to
any further normalisation of relations with the People(cid:146)s Republic of China?

2. Will the Council specify what measures it has taken, or intends to take, to put an end to this blatant
breach of international human rights conventions?

Reply

(7 May 2001)

1.
The Council has on several occasions expressed its ongoing concern at the harsh measures taken
against the leaders and followers of Falun Gong, notably excessive prison sentences, detentions without
trial and physical abuse.

2.
The conclusions of the January General Affairs Council on the EU-China Human Rights dialogue
identified specific areas in which the European Union considers that the dialogue process should secure
progress. These areas include, inter alia,
(cid:145)untrammelled exercise of freedom of religion and belief, both
public and private(cid:146) and (cid:145)respect for the fundamental rights of all prisoners, including those arrested for
membership of the political opposition, unofficial religious movements or other movements, such as the
Falun Gong(cid:146). The Council will continue to follow closely developments in these areas and call upon the
Chinese authorities to take measures in compliance with international human rights norms and standards.

(2001/C 235 E/059)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4065/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(15 January 2001)

Subject: Restriction of freedom to express opinions by obstacles to cross-border passenger traffic during the

Nice summit

1.
Can the Council confirm that citizens of EU Member States wishing to travel to the French city of
Nice before and during the summit held there on 7 to 10 December 2000 were subject to a number of
the French-Italian border and by
seriously obstacles including being held up in large numbers at
restrictions on access to the city of Nice?

2.
Does the Council consider that the state of affairs referred to above is in accordance with the
expectations it wished to raise by the proclamation in Nice of the (cid:145)Charter of Fundamental Rights of the
European Union(cid:146)?