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China Criticizes Argentina for Arrest Request of Jiang Zemin, Falun Gong
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   China  is  calling on the government of Argentina to 'properly handle'
   an  Argentine court ruling that calls for the arrest of China's former
   top leader.

   Stephanie Ho | Beijing 24 December 2009
   Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin (file photo)

Photo: AP

   Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin (file photo)

   The  case centers around Falun Gong, a spiritual group that was banned
   in  China  in  1999, after thousands of members surrounded the Chinese
   leadership compound in central Beijing.
   Recently, an Argentine judge asked Interpol to issue an arrest warrant
   for former Chinese President Jiang Zemin and former security chief Luo
   Gan. They are charged with crimes against humanity.
   The  ruling  was  made after a four-year investigation into charges of
   torture  and  genocide  against  Falun Gong, which Beijing considers a
   cult.
   Mr.  Jiang was president when China outlawed Falun Gong and launched a
   campaign against the group. Since then, thousands of Chinese have been
   jailed or sentenced to labor camps because of Falun Gong affiliations.
   Many  Falun  Gong  practitioners  have been driven underground or into
   exile, helping the group attract followers around the world.
   Chinese  Foreign  Ministry  spokeswoman  Jiang  Yu  said  Thursday her
   government follows Chinese law in clamping down on Falun Gong.
   Jiang  accuses  Falun  Gong  supporters of trying to take advantage of
   foreign  judicial  procedures  to  bring malicious accusations against
   China and undermine its relations with other countries.
   She  did not specify how this court order could hurt China's relations
   with  Argentina,  but she curtly urged the Argentine government to, in
   her words, "properly handle this."
   Argentina's president is expected to visit China in January.

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