Hong Kong, China - Four Taiwanese members of Falungong, a spiritual group outlawed in China, appeared in a Hong Kong court to begin an appeal against their deportation from the Chinese territory.
The four were among 80 Taiwanese members of Falungong who came to Hong Kong for a conference of the sect in February 2003 but were detained at the border and refused entry although they were holding valid visas.
The group claimed that immigration officials in Hong Kong had "roughly mistreated" their members.
The four Falungong members have declared their entry denial and the "violence" used by the authorities in handling the Falungong members as "unlawful".
"We want to use legal channels to seek justice from the Hong Kong government for the sake of our human rights," the group said in a statement.
The four were given special permission by the Hong Kong government to enter the territory for the legal challenge. About 30 members staged a sit-down protest outside the High Court during Tuesday's hearing.
China outlawed the group as an "evil cult" in 1999 and has since detained or imprisoned tens of thousands of members. The group says its members are tortured for refusing to give up their beliefs.
Members of the quasi-religious Falungong group regularly gather outside Chinese embassies and consulates overseas to protest against Beijing's crackdown on the group.