September 4, 2001

THE Chinese Premier has agreed to raise the issue with judicial authorities of a Trinity student jailed for his Falun Gong beliefs.

Premier Zhu Rongji undertook to discuss the case of Zhao Ming with the authorities on his return to China during a meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at Farmleigh yesterday.

Zhao Ming has been imprisoned without trial in a series of labour camps since he returned to China from Trinity College in Dublin in January 2000.

Amnesty, which has led a high-profile campaign for his release, say his only crime is his Falun Gong [spiritual] beliefs. He is reported to have been physically and mentally tortured and has not been heard of since May.

Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen, who was also at the Farmleigh summit, said later that Premier Zhu Rongji's response was particularly positive.

He said the fact that he had not simply noted the concern communicated by the Taoiseach but had agreed to take the matter further, was significant. This would signify to us a positive response and some progress on this issue, he said.

[...] Mr Ahern confirmed he had raised a range of human rights issues with the Premier, including the treatment of the Falun Gong spiritual movement and Irish concerns about the treatment of the Tibetan people.

One reporter, who said he was acting as an intermediary for the Falun Gong, interrupted the press conference to hand over a letter from the group to the Premier. A member of the Chinese delegation accepted the letter.

[...]

Falun Gong claims more than 200 members have died since the movement was banned in July 1999.

[...]

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