The Falun Dafa Information Center has recently received confirmation of four more deaths in police custody. Two of the victims' bodies showed clear signs of severe torture and abuse, one of them was beaten severely before his death, and the third died under very suspicious circumstances. This puts the death toll while in custody at 229.

Falun Gong spokeswoman, Ms. Gail Rachlin, commented on the escalating deaths: "It's absurd that Jiang Zemin can get away with this for so long. This man has actually declared that he intends to 'eradicate' Falun Gong, and now we're seeing more reports every day of people being tortured and killed. This has got to stop."

Tortured to Death: Labor Camp Personnel Torture Woman for Her Beliefs

(Falun Dafa Information Center) - On June 9, 2001, Ms. Qiuxia Wang, 48, was surrounded by labor camp personnel on the third floor of the Zhoushuizi Labor Camp in Dalian City. By the next morning, she was dead.

Over 20 people, led by an official named Yi Jiang, severely beat and tortured Qiuxia Wang in an effort to get her to sign a letter officially renouncing her belief in Falun Gong. These forced "letters of repentance" are a common objective of the routine torture by police of people who practice Falun Gong in China. On the morning of the 10th, however, Qiuxia Wang reiterated her spiritual beliefs to her captors, and was therefore severely beaten and tortured again, sources say. Ms. Qiuxia Wang died on the way to the hospital.

According to family members, they were not notified of her death until 9pm that evening. Upon viewing her body, family members say they could see her head was swollen and deformed due to beatings. They also say both of her legs were swollen and deep bruises were found over her entire body. When Ms. Wang's family members requested that a murder investigation be conducted, the corpse was then transferred from the hospital to the Yaojia Detention Center for examination by the legal medical expert. The findings of the medical examination have yet to be released.

Ms. Qiuxia Wang was first detained on October 1, 2000 while on her way to Beijing to make an appeal to the Central Government. She was first held at the drug rehabilitation center in Dalian City, and then transferred to the Yaojia Detention Center. Later, she was sentenced to forced labor re-education, and was sent to the Zhoushuizi Labor Camp, also in Dalian City.

Neither Hao Wenshuai, Head of the Dalian City Labor Camp, Zhang Baolin, Deputy Head of the Dalian City Labor Camp nor Hao Baokun, Director General of the Administration of Justice could be reached for comment.

The number of Falun Gong practitioners known to have died in police custody or as a result of torture while in custody has now reached 233. This news comes on the very same day as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

Dead Hours After Arrest: Cuts and Bruises Covered His Body

(Falun Dafa Information Center) - On May 30, 2001, Mr. Zhigang Zuo, 33, was working at his job in a computer company on Zhongshan Road of Shijiazhuang City. Several people in police uniform arrived at his workplace and took him away. Later that day, police claimed that Mr. Zuo "used his shirt to commit suicide." No further explanation was made available.

Sources said Mr. Zhigang Zuo died in the Qiaoxi district police substation of Shijiazhuang City. Eyewitnesses saw numerous cuts and bruises covering his body. One of his ears was black and blue. Two large rectangular pits were found on his back. Bruises left from a thin cord around the neck were clearly visible.

Mr. Zhigang Zuo is the fifth Falun Gong practitioner who has died in police custody in Shijiazhuang City alone. Before him were Hongshen Tao, Xiurong Liu, Shusong Liu, and Xinnian Zhao.

Government Official Dies in Police Custody.

He had been sentenced for practicing Falun Gong.

(Falun Dafa Information Center) - Mr. Kong Deyi, 38, (also known as Kong Xiaohai) recently died in Chang Linzi labor camp, where he was sent without trial for practicing Falun Gong. In accordance with the Chinese government's recent policy of reporting all death cases as "suicide" or as "death from natural causes," officials reported that Kong Deyi died of "natural causes." According to people who knew Mr. Kong, the 38-year-old was very healthy when he was sent to the labor camp.

One reporter who contacted the labor camp's office spoke with a woman, who did not want to give out her name. This reporter said that while they were on the phone, the unidentified woman whispered to her coworker, "He is asking about Kong Deyi." Then she said to the reporter, "I don't know much about it. No one died here."

Before he was sent to a labor camp, Kong Deyi was an official in the Politics Research Institute of Dongli District, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province. Since he refused to give up practicing Falun Gong, he was sentenced to the labor camp. The news of his death came on June 10th, bringing the death toll of Falun Gong practitioners in Harbin City to four.

Power Plant Technician Dies After Five Days in Detention Center;

Expedited Cremation Defies Family's Investigation

(Falun Dafa Information Center) - Mr. Ren Pengwu, 33, was on the technical staff of the Third Thermal Power Plant of Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province. He was arrested on February 16 by the police and taken to the Second Detention Center of Hulan County. He was dead five days later. According to eyewitnesses, the police beat him at length and force-fed him many times during his detention. Ren Pengwu died on the way to the hospital. Officials claimed that Ren Pengwu died from a "heart attack."

Police did not allow Ren Pengwu's family members to take photographs of his body. Without consent from the family, the police removed all of his internal organs, then cremated his remains. One Chinese national said the police likely removed his organs in order to sell them.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER- Contacts: Gail Rachlin 212-501-8080 or Feng Yuan 917-912-3301. Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com, Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/