January 3, 2002 Thursday

The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa is denying allegations staff detained and beat a University of Ottawa student for taking pictures of an anti-Falun Gong exhibition on display inside the embassy.

Leon Wang, 25, said on Dec. 28 he was taken to a private room, hit on the head "very heavily," had his arm twisted and his legs kicked while he was on the ground.

"It was very frightening. My head was spinning. I was extremely shocked that this happened in Canada." Mr. Wang, who came to Canada in 1999, says he was detained twice in China for practicing Falun Gong.

The day after the alleged incident, Mr. Wang went to the University of Ottawa, he said, to receive medical attention, and then sought treatment at a medical clinic in Kanata two days later.

[...]

... according to Mr. Wang, the hall in the embassy was divided into two -- one part for a movie and the other for what he describes as a "huge" anti-Falun Gong exhibition that included more than 90 posters intended to "defame" the Falun Gong movement.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual teaching based on Chinese traditions. It was introduced to the general public in China in 1992. Practitioners of Falun Gong strive for self improvement through five sets of gentle exercises and adherence to the [group's] three main principles; Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance.

The Chinese government says Falun Gong is a "[slanderous word ommitted]" that encourages followers to kill their parents and family. It declared the movement an illegal "[slanderous word ommitted]" in 1999.

[...]

Mr. Wang claims that, upon being recognized as a Falun Gong practitioner, he was dragged away to a private room and beaten.

A 31-year-old woman who did not want to be identified, also attended the event with her daughter, and says she witnessed embassy staff drag Mr. Wang into a room on the second floor and then shut the door.

She asked officials at the embassy why Mr. Wang was taken away, and was told that he was taking pictures.

Xun Li, a spokesman for the Falun Dafa Association of Canada, says he went to the embassy on Dec. 28 but was not allowed in.

"They blocked me. They told me 'you're not welcome.' "

Mr. Li said he called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of Mr. Wang on Dec. 28 and Dec. 31, and left messages. He also plans on filing a formal complaint to the ministry.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Reynald Doiron said officials in his department will wait until police have filed a report before they take any action.

He added that Canadian officials continue to discuss matters related to freedom of thought and association with their Chinese counterparts.

"The Chinese officials know our views very well. Anytime we have a chance to raise these issues with them, we do."

Ottawa police are investigating the complaint.

GRAPHIC: Photo: Jon Terkel, The Ottawa Citizen ; Leon Wang, 25, said, he was taken to a private room, hit on the head 'very heavily,' had, his arm twisted and legs kicked while he was on the ground.

á