 |
Ms. Liu was an employee of the Shuangcheng City Beer Factory in Heilongjiang Province. On February 6, 2003, while distributing a New Year greeting card with the characters “Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance” – the guiding principles of Falun Dafa – to people from their own mini-van, she and her husband were reported to the police, who then took away the couple and their van.
Ms. Liu was detained at the Second Detention Centre.
Ms. Liu’s husband does not practise Falun Gong, so he was released after being illegally detained for one day in the police department, and being illegally fined 1,000 Yuan.
On February 17, 2003, the police informed Ms. Liu's family of her death.
Eighty-three practitioners of Falun Dafa are known to have died from police torture and abuse in Heilongjiang Province. Ten of those deaths, including Ms. Liu, have occurred in Shuangcheng City.
Ms. Liu’s family members say she was probably tortured to death days before February 17.
Background
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about), 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 practised in over 50 countries.
With government estimates of as many as 100 million practising Falun Gong, China’s President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999 (report), 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 practise it.
The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of 581 deaths (report / sources) 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, while expert sources estimate that figure to be much higher. Hundreds of thousands have been detained, with more than 100,000 being sentenced to forced labour camps, typically without trial.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EUROPEAN FALUN GONG INFORMATION CENTRE
Peter Jauhal 44 (0) 7739 172 452.
More contacts. http://www.falungonginfo.net/europe.htm
Email: [email protected]
* * *
You are welcome to print and circulate all articles published on Clearharmony and their content, but please quote the source.
more ...