Gordon Brown has been urged to start a Europe-wide debate on whether athletes should boycott the Beijing Olympics in response to human rights abuses. Mr McMillan-Scott, MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber and a vice-president of the European Parliament, raised the issue of a human rights boycott following a visit to China in 2006. He said: "There is continuing evidence of persecution, and even genocide, in China. "The civilised world must seriously consider shunning China - and using the Beijing Olympics to send the clear message that such abuses of human rights are not acceptable. "The debate must take place - whether the countries of the European Union are present at the Beijing Olympics or whether they stay away." Mr McMillan-Scott added: "I believe that everyone has the right to practise a religion of their choice without persecution, imprisonment or torture. "Christians, Buddhists - especially in Tibet - and Muslims are all persecuted. "Human rights should be endorsed by the Olympic movement, and it is time for the European Union to enter the debate." Mr McMillan-Scott delivered a letter to Mr Brown calling for him to initiate a debate among European leaders. For more information on Edward McMillan-Scott's Boycott Beijing Olympics Campaign, please visit www.boycottbeijing.eu BACKGROUND McMillan-Scott report on EU-China in 1997 He is pictured here on the Great Wall during his 2006 visit Gao Zhisheng, one of Edward's contacts and foremost Chinese human rights defender was taken by security forces from house arrest on September 22 and has not been seen since. On 28 Dec his environmentalist friend Hu Jia was also taken away. Click here for video interview with Gao Zhisheng 'Conscience of China'. For more information visit http://www.boycottbeijing.eu/ ________________ by Kate Howey "For those of us who believe that sport should be a force for good in society, last week's stories of drug cheats, Olympic boycotts and greedy football clubs were depressing. Sport should be about participation, inclusion and a uniting of people in friendly competition. It should also be entertaining and enjoyable." Edward meets torture victims Click here to watch the interviewBoycott Beijing Olympics?
Gordon Brown "should start debate about Olympic Boycott"
Senior Tory MEP Edward McMillan-Scott - seen above at a London human rights rally - claimed there was evidence of "persecution and genocide" in China and said EU countries should consider pulling out of the Games.
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In May 2006, Edward made a return visit to Beijing where he had contact with a number of dissidents. More than 3,000 Falun Gong prisoners - like the girl below - have died of torture since 1999.
Edward McMillan-Scott wrote a key report for the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee on the EU-China Strategy in 1997 as the economic boom accelerated. Even then he sought a more political approach with his slogan, "Not just business-as-usual, but also politics-as-usual". He was a frequent visitor to China and was the first politician to visit Tibet after a three-year ban.
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