SINGAPORE – On July 21, two individuals were charged by the Singapore police for hanging a banner with slanderous words across from the Chinese Embassy. The day before on July 20, Ms. Ng Chye Huay and Mr. Erh Boon Tiong were protesting at the Chinese Embassy against the persecution of Falun Gong in China for the past seven years and calling for an end to the persecution. An officer told Ng that Singapore has different laws for different people.
The words on the banner displayed that day were "Stop Persecution of Falun Gong in China" in English and Chinese. Police said the contents of the banner were slanderous to the Chinese Embassy and might obstruct and disturb passersby.
Ng also faces another charge. On July 6, Li Lanqing, former vice premier of China and former head of the 610 office, arrived in Singapore to receive an honorary doctorate from the National University of Singapore upon invitation by Lee Kuan Yew, senior minister of Singapore. On July 12, Ng went to the Chinese Embassy to protest against Li's visit and was charged by police for displaying a banner defaming Li Lanqing. The words on the banner read "Li Lanqing Persecutes Falun Gong, Heavenly Principles Will Not Tolerate This".
Ng is shocked by the charges brought against her. She said, "I have been holding a silent protest outside the Chinese Embassy for over a year. Why did the police suddenly say that I have violated the laws when Li Lanqing visits Singapore?" She revealed to a reporter that an officer had told her Singapore has different laws for different people.
The Singapore police have filed a lawsuit against nine local Falun Gong practitioners on July 14 for participating in an "illegal assembly" on Orchard Road last October. Falun Gong practitioners claim that they were only distributing flyers to the public in small groups and did not have a gathering.
The president of the Singapore Falun Dafa Association Professor William Huang said, "We urge the Singapore police to withdraw all charges against the Falun Gong practitioners. Don't bow to the Chinese communist regime for short term benefits.
"The regime puts out materials defaming Falun Gong in the Chinese Embassy. Till now, their websites contain information attacking Falun Gong. The Chinese Embassy even held an exhibition defaming Falun Gong in Singapore to deceive the Singapore public. When we hired venues to hold our activities, staff from the Chinese Embassy would exert pressure on the owner of the venue not to lend it to us. Besides, Singapore has a close trading relationship with China. We believe that the Singapore government has bowed to China for economic benefits, suppressing kindhearted and peaceful Falun Gong practitioners. Recently, former vice premier of China and head of the 610 office Li Lanqing came to Singapore for a visit. The lawsuits were brought up against Falun Gong practitioners just after he left," Huang stated.
Li Lanqing is the former head of the 610 office in China, a Gestapo like agency, and has been sued for crimes against humanity and torture by Falun Gong practitioners in the US, France, Belgium, Taiwan, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, Chile, Holland, Japan and Sweden. His name has been added to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police watch list, along with Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Li Jing and Bo Xilai. If anyone on the list attempts to enter Canada, an investigation would take place and he would potentially face charges from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Timeline of events:
On May 28, the Singapore media published news of Lee Kuan Yew's invitation to Li Lanqing to bestow on him an honorary doctorate degree from the National University of Singapore. Subsequently, a series of incidents targeted at Falun Gong practitioners took place in Singapore.
On June 2, Falun Gong practitioner Nie Ge holding both a legal working permit and social visit pass was suddenly informed that her permits were cancelled for no reason. She was detained for eight hours by the police for being an illegal immigrant.
On June 14, the Singapore immigration department informed a student holding a Chinese passport Yang Yongli that he must leave Singapore within three days. On June 15, his departure was postponed with the aid of international human rights organization.
On July 10, the Singapore Immigration department demanded that Yang Yongli leave Singapore the next day; on the same day, nine practitioners received a subpoena from the police informing them that they were charged for participating in an illegal assembly in Orchard Road last October. The court hearing was scheduled on July 4 (the first day of Li Lanqing's seal cutting exhibition). This was later postponed to July 14.
On July 12, Ng Chye Huay was arrested by police for displaying a banner during a protest outside the Chinese Embassy against Li Lanqing's role in the persecution of Falun Gong in China. The charges stated Ng was defaming Li Lanqing.
On the morning of July 21, the police filed a lawsuit against Ng Chye Huay and Erh Boon Tiong with the charge of "harassment by displaying insulting writings - with common intention".
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