European Parliament Delegation hand over a list of arrested Falun Gong practitioners during its meeting with the National People's Congress

The President of the European Parliament Delegation to China, Mr. P Gahrton, handed over a list of arrested Falun Gong practitioners during the Delegation's meeting with the officials of the National People's Congress in Beijing in November 2000. The European Parliament Delegation also raised questions regarding the oppression of Falun Gong in the full interparliamentary working session attended by dozens of delegates from both the European Parliament and the National People's Congress.

European Parliament Member, Mr. S Stevenson, pointed out that many practitioners of Falun Gong had been sent to labour camps, often without trial, that many had been subjected to beatings and torture and that it was alleged that fifty had died in police custody as a result of torture and ill treatment. The delegate asked whether the Chinese authorities would accept international independent inspection and whether it was possible for peaceful dialogue to be entered into between the NPC and Falun Gong. Question was also raised on whether the NPC used to praise Falun Gong. The delegate had personally seen arrests being made in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.