France, March 15 -- John Smithies spent 20 years following the teachings of the Chinese spiritual movement Falun Gong, and held a senior role at its newspaper Epoch Times.

At a meeting last year, he heard a dancer from the Shen Yun company, founded by followers of the movement, tell the room: "If you make a mistake during this performance, the audience will lose their chance to remain on Earth for eternity."

"Saying that to 14 and 15-year-olds puts incredible pressure on their shoulders," the British former follower told RFI. "It's like mental torture."

His account echoes two complaints filed by former dancers accusing the organisation of forced labour by minors and complaining of untreated injuries and psychological pressure that...