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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Alberta: Public Jucidial Review of Hate Crimes Probe Against Chinese Consular Officials

News Release

Edmonton – Renowned international human rights lawyers Mr. David Matas and Ms. Shirish Chotolia will jointly contest Attorney General of Alberta’s earlier decision of dropping the charge of hate incitement against the Chinese diplomats despite expert investigative report from Edmonton Hate Crime police that the anti-Falun Gong booklets distributed by the Calgary Chinese Consulate in 2004 is hate propaganda.

“Canada should not allow itself to become a platform for global promotion of hatred, said David Matas, what is happening in Edmonton is happening all over the world where China has a Embassy or Consulate, and every police service should react in the way Edmonton police have acted to stop hate against Falun Gong.”

In June 2004, two Chinese Consulate officials were witnessed to have disseminated anti- Falun Gong materials to attendees of a conference held in the University of Alberta. The materials were sent to Edmonton Hate Crime police for investigation.

Constable Stephen Camp of the Hate Crimes Unit of the Edmonton Police concluded after one-year investigation that “these booklet constitute a breach of the hate crime law under Section 319.2 of the Criminal Code of Canada, the law banning the ‘willful promotion of hatred’ against an ‘identifiable group’”, “According to the law, the Alberta government has to decide whether to lay a charge in these cases.”


“The Chinese government is defaming and persecuting members of Falun Gong across the country. Alberta could be the first province to lead the way, to say enough is enough,” said Constable Camp.

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