E/CN.4/2001/0063 page 11 believers tend to cherish their faith as much as their homeland. All the religions represented in China have established their own patriotic organizations which any one is free to join or not. Under no circumstances can it be said that people are forced to become members of the Catholic Patriotic Association. V. Allegation that two churches in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province were blown up. A thorough investigation has revealed that in 1998 the inhabitants of Cangnan County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, acting without authorization from the public authorities, built a church on a plot of land in the village of Linguan, Pingdeng commune, Cangnan County, in serious violation of the Land Use Law of the People’s Republic of China. On 31 December 1999, pursuant to the relevant provisions of that Law, the Cangnan County Office of Land Use had the church destroyed. Other inhabitants of the county, acting without authorization from the competent authorities, converted a factory into a church in Yanggong village, Lingqi commune, in violation of legislation of the People’s Republic of China governing urban land use. On 15 December 1999 the Cangnan county authorities had the church destroyed, pursuant to the law. China is a State governed by rule of law. Under the policy which it pursues in the area of religious freedom, places of worship acquire legal status once they are legally registered, and the legitimate rights and interests associated with them are protected. Religious organizations have the right to complain to the competent authorities in respect of any violation of their rights and interests. They may prosecute the perpetrators of such violations in order to secure administrative and legal protection measures. Anyone who violates citizens’ right to religious freedom or who infringes the legitimate rights and interests associated with places of worship is liable to criminal prosecution. The two buildings in question were destroyed, in the first case, because the procedures for obtaining authorization had not been followed in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Land Use Law before construction began, which meant that the land was illegally occupied, and, in the second case, because the building in question constituted a violation of the legislation governing urban land use. The action taken by the authorities concerned in these cases is fair and legal. It bears no connection of any sort to religion.” 26. According to a communication from the Special Rapporteur, in December 1999, four leaders of the Falun Gong movement, Li Chang, Wang Zhiwen, Ji Liewu and Yao Lie, were reportedly given prison sentences in Beijing, officially for having illegally organized and practised a religion, for being responsible for a number of deaths and for having illegally obtained and disseminated State secrets. On 11 May 2000, some 200 Falun Gong practitioners