The ministry, in an unsolicited statement, said Falungong devotees tapped into signals from the satellite three times on Tuesday and Wednesday, interrupting nearly 50 minutes of programming.

"This is yet another crime by the 'Falungong' evil cult violating basic rules on civil communications, interfering with normal TV broadcasts and encroaching on the interests of the public," the ministry said.

Subscribers to China Central Television, distance-learning programs and 10 provincial-level TV stations were affected, according to the ministry.

Members of Falungong, which has been banned since 1999, have interfered several times with Chinese TV signals in an effort to spread their message.

In a statement published earlier this week, the group referred to an apparently unrelated incident in southern China in which it said it succeeded in replacing the regular program with programs on Chinese human rights abuses.

China banned the Falungong four years ago after some 10,000 followers of the group surrounded the Communist Party leadership compound in central Beijing to protest a pending government crack-down.

SPACE.WIRE