HONG KONG—Just before the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong’s hand-over to communist China, many Falun Gong practitioners from Taiwan were barred from entering Hong Kong.
The practitioners were detained in Hong Kong airport; most of them have been forcibly returned to Taiwan. The incidents started on June 25, and by June 30, about 520 people had been deported or are now blocked at the airport, not allowed entry into Hong Kong.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson commented on the Hong Kong incident, saying “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.”
On the evening of June 29, many Taiwan Falun Gong practitioners continued to arrive at Hong Kong airport. The airport specially mobilized dozens of policemen to check the passports of arriving visitors. Many Falun Gong practitioners were taken away even before they arrived at customs.
Ms. Chen, who was deported on the morning of the 28th, told The Epoch Times that the whole deportation process was very violent. Although most of the Falun Gong practitioners being deported were females, the Hong Kong authorities still sent male policemen to handle the deportation process.
According to Ms. Chen, she was carried out by five large male officers; two held her feet, two held her hands and another one held her head. Her hands were bruised by the violent treatment. Chen said, “I saw another female Falun Gong practitioner whose surname was Liao carried away on a stretcher.”
