(17 Jun 2002)
1. Exterior of court
2. Various of police setting up rails
3. Boxes of evidence being carried into court
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) John Clancey, Defence lawyer:
"Our clients are innocent and they're very surprised, in such a civilised city like Hong Kong, which is used to having demonstrations, to the freedom of expression and the freedom of assembly. It's almost been woven into the public culture here, for people to express their views. They're very surprised that they have been arrested for obstruction of the public."
5. Falun Gong followers holding banner reading " Falun Gong is good"
6. Various of Falun Gong followers from Switzerland holding national flag
7. Closeup of two of the Swiss defendants
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Erich Bachmann, Swiss Defendant:
"It is impossible to believe that we broke any law of the civilised laws of Hong Kong, with our small, polite and peaceful appeal."
9. Cutaway of press
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Erich Bachmann, Swiss Defendant:
"China is killing so many people, is that right? We're protecting humanity. Who is wrong now?"
11. People walking into the court
12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Andreas Vagh, Falun Gong supporter and friend of defendant:
"As I've seen in TV, they didn't disturb anyone. I think it's a little bit pressure from the Chinese side because China declared it illegal, so they want to suppress it all in foreign countries."
FILE - 14 March, 2002
13. Chinese flag
14. Various of Falun Gong followers practising
15. Police warning the Falun Gong followers
16. Police moving Falun Gong people onto police van
17. Erich Bachmann shouting from police van
18. Falun Gong follower practising
19. Police carrying follower into police van
20. Police van driving away
STORYLINE:
Falun Gong followers went on trial in Hong Kong Monday on charges stemming from a protest against a crackdown on the meditation sect on the Chinese mainland.
In the first criminal case against Falun Gong in Hong Kong, 16 followers - including four Swiss nationals - are charged with obstructing the public in connection with a sidewalk protest outside the Chinese government liaison office in March.
The sect remains legal in Hong Kong even though Beijing has banned it as an "evil cult."
Some of the protesters also face stiffer charges of obstructing and assaulting police, after a scuffle broke out with officers who were trying to move the protestors from outside the front of the office.
In a statement read to reporters before going into court, one of the Swiss members said the 16 were confident they could get a fair trial in Hong Kong, where citizens have continued to enjoy freedoms denied their mainland counterparts since the former British colony reverted to Chinese sovereignty five years ago.
But local rights activists have expressed fears that Hong Kong is slowly cracking down on Falun Gong and free expression - even though Western-style liberties were guaranteed for at least 50 years when Hong Kong was returned to China in July 1997.
Before entering the courthouse for the start of Monday's trial, the defendants held up a banner reading "Falun Dafa is good". Falun Dafa is another name for Falun Gong.
The 16 were charged with two counts of obstructing the public during the protest in March. Twelve of the defendants are Hong Kong Chinese.
If Magistrate Symon Wong convicts the defendants of the least serious count of obstructing the public, they could get up to three months in jail or fines of 500 Hong Kong dollars (64 US dollars).
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