(Clearwisdom.net) Most recently, more than 100 Taiwan Falun Gong practitioners were not allowed to enter Hong Kong, even though they held valid visas. Instead, they were violently turned back to Taiwan. The incident has received wide attention from international media.
On June 29, a Reuters article said that reportedly about 140 Taiwan Falun Gong practitioners were denied entry into Hong Kong ahead of the China-Hong Kong handover anniversary. The article said that the Hong Kong immigration office refused to respond to an inquiry from Reuters and said the office had the right to decide who should be allowed to enter. Falun Gong is legal in Hong Kong though the practice is banned in China.
In a June 30 article entitled, "Studying HK, Taipei wants less to do with Beijing," Bangkok Times said that the lack of democracy in Hong Kong reinforced Taiwan's resistance to the "One Country Two Systems" policy. One important piece of evidence of the deterioration of Hong Kong democracy is that Taiwan Falun Gong practitioners have been repeatedly subjected to entry denial even though they all possess valid visas. This indicates that Hong Kong's immigration policy has been influenced by Beijing.
Taiwanese Falun Gong Practitioners Subject to Violent Turn-back
On June 29, Taiwan Chinese Times reported that 26 Falun Gong practitioners flew to Hong Kong on June 27 to participate in a July 1st parade. Twenty-three of the twenty-six were not allowed to enter Hong Kong, and they were confined in the airport for 14 hours. A number of practitioners were detained in the airport's confinement cells. In the process of forced boarding to planes flying to Taiwan, some practitioners were wrapped in blankets and carried to the gate. After arriving at Kaosiung yesterday, the practitioners condemned the violence.
The report said that practitioner Liao Shuhui showed bruises on her arms. She said that they were immediately surrounded by more than 10 Hong Kong police officers when they arrived at the Hong Kong airport at 7:30 p.m. on June 27. They were not allowed to move around and the police did not provide any sensible explanation despite their repeated request. Liao said that they were not even allowed to use public restrooms.
Hu Luyu and Chan Meili also recounted how the Hong Kong authority violated their human rights. The couple were detained in a confinement cell from 2:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Though they did not want to be sent back to Taiwan, they were forced onto the plane.
Practitioner Chang Kueihsiang said that her visa to Hong Kong expired in mid-June. Because she wanted to participate in a July 1st human rights parade in Hong Kong, she tried to renew her visa. Six times, her application for a visa was turned down though she tried different travel agencies. She still could not believe that the Hong Kong government could go so far to suppress human rights.
On June 28, Taipei Times reported that a group of Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference in Taipei to protest the Hong Kong government for not allowing them to enter Hong Kong. At the press conference, they displayed their visas.
Human Right Law Association attorney Chu Wan-chi is also a Falun Gong practitioner. The report said that Chu told the reporters at the press conference that more than 10 Taiwanese practitioners were detained and turned back by the Hong Kong International Airport on Sunday and Monday [June 24 and 25] with no explanation.
Chu arrived in Hong Kong on the evening of June 24 with all required paperwork. She said: "A customs official took me to the Border Entry Office as soon as he learned my name." Although an on-duty official told Chu that she could appeal, Ms. Chu said: "On the morning of June 25, a police official came and told me that I no longer have the right to appeal."
"Six female employees wrapped me in a blanket, put me in a wheelchair, and rolled me to the gate."
After returning to Taiwan, she learned from a Taichung travel agency that Hong Kong Immigration Service has informed all airlines that Hong Kong does not welcome Falun Gong practitioners.
The report said that Chu showed a faxed copy of a document which stated: "While Hong Kong is preparing celebration activities of the 10th anniversary of the China-Hong Kong handover, all Falun Gong practitioners are on the 'not welcome' list."
On June 27, Chu tried to enter Hong Kong for the second time. When she arrived in the afternoon, she was taken away by border entry officers.
US Called on Hong Kong to Maintain Political Freedom
On June 27, in response to the entry denial incident, the US government requested Hong Kong to maintain political freedom.
According to the Raw Story website, the United States on Wednesday called on Hong Kong to maintain political freedom after a top Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioner was denied entry to the special administration district.
According to the website, the US Department of State said: "We believe all individuals, regardless of their beliefs or affiliation, enjoy the right to legitimate travel and peaceful assembly... We expect that Hong Kong would continue to uphold its high standards of personal and political freedom."
Falun Dafa Hong Kong spokesman Kan Hung-cheung said that more than 100 Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners have been denied entry for a series of protests planned in the run-up to the July 1 anniversary of the handover.
Hong Kong Human Rights Records Deteriorating
On June 28, Central News Agency reported that Taiwanese cabinet spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey said that the incident is completely regrettable and "this kind of situation shouldn't happen."
Shieh said that Taiwanese people fully enjoy freedom of religion and speech and Taiwan feels that the entry denial incident is very regrettable as it suggests that democracy and human rights in Hong Kong have deteriorated significantly. At the same time, Shieh added that this incident warned the people of Taiwan that Beijing is manipulating Hong Kong democracy and human rights.
