February 22, 2001

To the Editor:

Re "China's Crackdown on [group] Stirs Alarm Over Psychiatric Abuse" (front page, Feb. 18):

There is one sure way to determine whether allegations that China is incarcerating dissidents and members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement in psychiatric hospitals run by the police are true: grant international medical and human rights groups access to the institutions. They can examine detainees and review records, then make an independent determination of the validity of the claims.

If Chinese officials and psychiatrists believe that the accusations are exaggerated, they should have nothing to hide.

LEONARD S. RUBENSTEIN

Executive Director Physicians for Human Rights Washington, Feb. 18, 2001