November 21, 11:42 PM MELBOURNE
Two of four Australians expelled from China after staging a protest against [...] persecution in Beijing are due to arrive back in Sydney early tomorrow, the Falun Gong group said today.
The Australians were arrested in Beijing's Tiananmen Square yesterday for protesting against the country's [persecution] on the banned Falun Gong meditation group.
Falun Gong spokeswoman Caroline Lam told AAP that Myrna Mack, 50, had messaged her via voicemail tonight to say she and Kay Belonogoff, 22, were due back in Sydney tomorrow morning.
The whereabouts of two other Australians arrested yesterday, Melburnians Kate Douglas, 21, and Chris Cominos, in his 30s, was not known at this stage, Ms Lam said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said the four Australians were being deported on the next available flight to Australia.
Ms Lam said it was a relief to hear that at least two of the meditation group's members were safe and due home soon.
"We'll be welcoming them with open arms.
"We're in full support of them trying to peacefully appeal to the Chinese government on behalf of all Falun Gong members," she said.
The deported Australians were among 35 foreigners from countries including Germany, France, the United States, Sweden, Britain and Canada who staged a peaceful protest against China's human rights record.
China banned Falun Gong in 1999, [...]. Since the ban, tens of thousands of followers have been rounded up and jailed or sentenced without trial to prison terms in Chinese labour camps.
The group says it is mystified by the persecution because it is a meditation group which advocates peace and personal spiritual development which has no political agenda.
Ms Lam said the deportees plan to hold a press conference outside the Chinese Consulate in Sydney at 12.30pm (AEDT) tomorrow.
http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/2001/11/21/FFXHI78Z9UC.html
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Category: Falun Dafa in the Media
