Falun Gong followers in Malaysia protest alleged persecution ahead of Olympic torch arrival

About 30 Falun Gong practitioners unfurled banners outside the Chinese Embassy and read out a statement condemning alleged abuses and persecution of the group.

The protest took place as police prepared to step up security for the Malaysian leg of the Olympic torch relay in downtown Kuala Lumpur on Monday. The protesters said they would not demonstrate during the relay.

But protest spokeswoman Li Chiyue said the group does not want the Chinese government to use the Olympic Games as a pretext to intensify its crackdown on Falun Gong practitioners.

"They don't want the true things that happen in China exposed," she said.

Li said China was arresting an increasing number of Tibetans fighting for autonomy and followers of the Falun Gong, a spiritual movement that Beijing has banned as a dangerous cult.

"We want them to improve their human rights as they promised before," said Li, a Chinese national who is studying in Malaysia.

The demonstrators - many of them Chinese expatriates - dispersed after about 20 minutes when the statement was given to an embassy official. About 20 police officers and fewer than 10 riot police were on standby.

Falun Gong is not banned in Malaysia and the group has some local practitioners.

The torch's relay through 19 cities has been marred by protests against China's crackdown on recent demonstrations in Tibet.

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