FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 21, 2002[http://www.faluninfo.net/]
NEW YORK, June 21, 2002 (Falun Dafa Information Center) - Sources inside China have confirmed the deaths of seven more Falun Gong practitioners at the hands of Chinese police. The latest deaths follow the well-established pattern of violent police brutality followed by extensive cover-up attempts.
Those most recently reported dead are:
May 20, 2002: Woman Beaten to Death and Her Family Placed Under House Arrest
Li Jilu, a 37-year-old woman from Xifan Village, Machen City, Hubei Province, was arrested on May 15 by ten policemen from the local areas. Upon breaking into Ms. Li's home, the police proceeded to brutally beat her right on the spot, breaking one of her ribs, sources in China say. She was then detained and went on a hunger strike to protest. Local police officials took her to Longchi Police Station for interrogation on May 20. She was again severely beaten. By the end of the day, Ms. Li was dead.
Sources report that after Ms. Li's death, the police declared that she had committed suicide by jumping from a building. The police then placed her relatives and friends under house arrest and denied them the right to view her body. Soon after, these sources say, the police cremated Ms. Li's body without her family's permission, destroying the evidence of their crime.
April 25, 2002: Elderly Woman Succumbs to Brutal Force-Feeding After 18-Day Hunger Strike
Dai Xiaojing, 61, from Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, was arrested in March 2002 and detained at the Zhongyuan Detention Center. During her detention, Ms. Dai went on a hunger strike for 18 days without water, enduring repeated force-feeding by the police. Seeing her rapidly deteriorating physical condition, the police released her. Sources inside China have confirmed that not long after, on April 25, 2002, she quietly passed away at her home.
It is common practice in Chinese detention centers for untrained officials or even fellow inmates to carry out the force-feeding procedure as a form of torture, which often results in internal bleeding and other complications. Well over 50 practitioners of Falun Gong are known to have died from force-feeding.
May 31, 2002: 59-Year-Old Retiree Dies From Abuse in Mental Hospital
Zhao Fulan, a 59-year-old woman from Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province was arrested on April 11, 2002. After being sent to a detention center and then a forced labor camp, Ms. Zhao ended up at a mental hospital on May 23. As a result of police brutality, Ms. Zhao suffered severe injuries, the most obvious being severe internal bleeding. She went into a coma and passed away 8 days later on May 31, 2002.
May 16, 2002: Police Claims Victim Died from "Multiple Serious Illnesses," Yet Never Sent Him to the Hospital
Mr. Wu Baowang, 36, was from Qingling Village, Shuangcheng City, Heilongjiang Province. Mr. Wu was beaten to death on May 16 by the Shuangcheng City Police Department, according to sources inside China. When questioned regarding Mr. Wu's death, the authorities claimed that the victim died from "serious heart problems, illnesses in the lungs, multiple serious illnesses." Police officials refused to answer questions regarding why such a sick man was not sent to the hospital.
May 5, 2002: Able-Bodied Man Beaten to Death in 26 Days
Yang Fengbin, a man of approximately 45 years old, was a stone quarry worker from Shijian Village, Yantai City, Shandong Province. On April 27, 2002, six police officers and "610 Office" members took him to the local detention center where he suffered brutal torture. On May 23, sources inside China report that the formerly "hearty and able-bodied" Yang Fengbin passed away, 2002 from on-going torture.
May 22, 2002: Woman Tortured to Death While On Hunger Strike
Zheng Wenqin was from Zhaoyuan County, Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province. On May 11, 2002, the police detained Ms. Zheng in Daqing City's Detention Center, where she began a hunger strike to protest. In a matter of 11 days, Ms. Zheng was beaten and tortured at three different detention centers, refusing to give up her hunger strike. On May 22, Ms. Zheng passed away in Zhaoyuan County Custody Center after another round of brutal beatings.
March 18, 2002: Hao Runjuan from Guangzhou Killed in Police Custody
Hao Runjuan from Baiyun district, Guangzhou city, died in police custody on March 18, 2002. Sources in China say that she was arrested in February 2000 while she was discussing Falun Gong with two students. These sources also say her family has been too scared to report Hao's death for fear of the local authorities.
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Background
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It is a practice that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but it is distinct and separate from other practices such as the religions of Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50 countries.
With government estimates of as many as 100 million practicing Falun Gong, China's President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999, fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiang's regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.
The Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of over 422 deaths since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600. Over 100,000 have been detained, with more than 20,000 being sentenced to forced labor camps without trial.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER- Contacts: Gail Rachlin 917-501-4441, Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, Adam Montanaro 917-405-4507, or Feng Yuan 646-523-5676. Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com, Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/
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