July 19, 2005 Tuesday Final Edition

Former Chinese diplomat Chen Yonglin may give evidence in legal proceedings in the ACT Supreme Court being brought by two Falun Gong practitioners against Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer and the Australian Federal Police.

A lawyer representing the two women, Bernard Collaery, said Mr Chen -who has defected to Australia -had provided an affidavit.

"I'm not free to say any more," Mr Collaery told reporters outside the ACT Supreme Court yesterday.

Earlier this month, Mr Chen was granted a visa to live in Australia, six weeks after saying a network of 1000 Chinese spies was operating in Australia and that he feared for his life if forced to go back to China.

The two Falun Gong practitioners, Dai Zhi Zhen and Zhang Cui Ying, are trying to stop Mr Downer invoking diplomatic privileges and immunities laws which prevent them from displaying banners and playing amplified music outside the Chinese embassy.

The matter was quickly adjourned in the Supreme Court until August 1.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, describes itself as a spiritual practice composed of exercises and a belief in the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance.

It is banned in China.

A crowd of about 150 Falun Gong supporters from Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne gathered outside the Supreme Court yesterday.

The supporters later moved on to Garema Place for a rally which featured an anti-torture display.

Among the signs being displayed outside the Supreme Court was one that said, "Mr Downer: Please don't help the Chinese Communist Party persecute Falun Gong in Australia." While making it clear it was inappropriate to talk about the proceedings before the courts, Mr Collaery told the crowd that Australia was the only democratic state to his knowledge that prevented the spiritual group's banners from being displayed.

"I was in Kuala Lumpur, I'm there reasonably often. I've been in Singapore recently. I've been in other parts of the world.

"I've not seen any democratic state ban your banners. The only place they're banned in the [free] world, that I know of ... is in this country, Australia.

"So they are issues that are of great concern and should be, to all Australians," Mr Collaery said when addressing people outside the court.

He said that on the day the Falun Gong banners were seized, others from Amnesty International and the ACT Trades and Labour Council were not taken.

"The only banners seized were the Chinese banners, the Falun Gong banners. This strikes at the heart of our democratic structure in this country. [It is the] selective use of the law. Selection, discrimination -it is wrong." He said China was ruled ruthlessly by villains and murderers at the top of the country's communist party central committee.

He claimed the Chinese police force was active in Australia, policing the Chinese community. He told the crowd the case could have implications, beyond Falun Gong, for laws concerning freedom of peaceful protest and expression in Australia.