Vol. 529 No. 1
104 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the Irish attitude to the human rights implications raised with regard to the treatment of members of the Falun Gong sect by the Chinese Government. [2237/01]
252 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland or the EU have adopted any position in relation to the persecution of members of the Falun Gong movement in China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2174/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 252 together.
Human rights concerns play an important role in our relations with China. Ireland, together with our partners in the European Union, continues to press strongly and actively for substantial improvements in the human rights situation there.
Ireland, together with our EU partners, has closely monitored the measures taken by the Chinese Government against Falun Gong practitioners. We have expressed our concern about the situation and called on the Chinese authorities to respect the human rights of individuals. We have urged the Chinese authorities not to act against the principles contained in the UN covenants signed by China, in particular those relating to the freedoms of expression, assembly and association. We have also expressed concern about the number of arrests and the heavy sentences imposed on some members of the Falun Gong movement. These concerns also extend to heavy sentences imposed on members of the China Democratic Party and on members of Christian churches. These concerns have been expressed both bilaterally and through the EU.
At the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on 22 and 23 January, a number of decisions were taken concerning the EU-China human rights dialogue. Such dialogue is our preferred channel for working to improve the human rights situation in areas of concern. It has been decided to step up the dialogue, focus it better and assess it on a continuous basis. There have been nine sessions of the dialogue since 1997, with some changes for the better in China during that period. However, I remain concerned at the lack of progress in a number of areas, in particular at the continuing widespread restrictions on freedom of assembly, expression and association, including, in the case of the Falun Gong, the violations of freedom of religion and belief, the situation of minorities, including in Tibet, and the frequent and extensive recourse to the death penalty.
It has been decided to define the specific areas in which the EU will be seeking progress through the dialogue process, which includes respect for the exercise of freedom of religion and belief, both public and private, and respect for the fundamental rights of all prisoners, including those arrested for membership of the political opposition, unofficial religious movements or other movements, such as the Falun Gong.
