US Urges China Restraint With Sect

Associated Press, July 27, 1999

WASHINGTON (AP) - The State Department urged Chinese authorities on Tuesday to avoid taking punitive action against members of the meditation sect Falun Gong, which was banned last week.

Spokesman Lee McClenny said the number of detainees could be in the thousands and include some government officials and Communist Party members.

He said the United States has repeatedly raised concerns about the ban on that group and ``the heavy-handed tactics that have been used by Chinese security officials.''