Protesters will neither be seen nor heard during the visit of Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao to France this week, according to an order given by the French government.
The order, given last week, is seen by critics as the latest in an attempt to hide embarassing human rights violations through censoring overseas protest.
Ahead of the visit, Falun Gong practitioners demonstrated in front of the national assembly last Wednesday, with the intention of bringing the persecution of their practice under China's Communist government to the attention of French elected officials.
Their banners politely welcome the Chinese Prime Minister to France, but asked him to end his party's persecution of Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) — which has been the target of repression for 6 years. They continued their action Thursday and Friday next to the headquarters of the ruling UMP party.
During a visit by Chinese leader Hu Jintao in January 2004, a number of foreign Falun Gong practitioners were detained by French police because they where wearing yellow, or had a logo which read "Falun Dafa is Good" on their clothing. The French government seems equally anxious to hide human rights protesters from Communist officials this time around.
Despite the extent of China's human rights violations becoming increasingly apparent the French government have appeared to even openly support the regime.
In a visit to China last April, the French Premier, Jean-Pierre Raffarin expressed support for China's anti-secession law on Taiwan which threatens the use of military force should Taiwan declare independence.
The French government is also one of the most vocal supporters of a lifting of the arms embargo imposed in the wake of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
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