Repression is not an Olympic sport

Green Party MP Keith Locke and Wellington human rights activists will meet in front of Parliament at 1pm today to highlight the plight of those striving for democracy in China and Tibet.

“As the Olympic Games approach we should not be blind to the increased persecution of human rights activists to keep them from 'embarrassing' the Chinese hosts,” Mr Locke, the Party's Foreign Affairs Spokesperson says.

“We will be drawing attention to cases like that of Ni Yulan – a leading advocate for those displaced by the Games construction in Beijing, whose trial yesterday has now been postponed. Yesterday Chinese Police also jumped on two dozen people protesting near Tiananmen Square against being evicted from their homes to make way for a business strip.

"The event today will also be taking up the cases of other arrested human rights defenders such as Hu Jia, Yang Chunlin and Ye Guozhu.

“It will also highlight the renewed crackdown on monks in Tibet, and the failure of China to fully abide by its promises to foreign journalists of free movement in China and open access to the internet.”

What: Repression is not an Olympic Sport event
Where: By Seddon Statue, front of Parliament
When: 1pm today