15 Years of Persecution Claims Accomplished Chef

Ms. Qu Wei, an accomplished chef, died on August 26th, 2014 at the Jinzhou No. 1 Hospital, five days after being admitted.

Ms. Qu was certified as a “National Second Grade Chef” and worked at a cafeteria for Jinzhou City government agencies. She had been repeatedly arrested, detained and tortured for her belief in Falun Gong, including a year at the notorious Masanjia Forced Labour Camp around 2011. She never recovered her health after her most recent detention in August 2013.

Ms. Qu's latest arrest occurred on July 22nd, 2013, for distributing Shen Yun DVDs [a world-class traditional Chinese cultural show]. She was taken to the Jinzhou Detention Centre and held for 15 days.

She was tortured with various methods including being hung up with handcuffs for three days at the detention centre. When she was released, Ms. Qu was in poor health, and her feet had infected wounds and she showed symptoms of diabetes.

At home, Ms. Qu's health didn't improve, but worsened. She was unconscious when she was admitted to the Jinzhou City No. 1 Hospital. She passed away on August 26th.

Repeatedly Arrested and Imprisoned

After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began its persecution of Falun Gong on July 20th, 1999, Ms. Qu and several practitioners went to Beijing to tell people the facts about the practice in October 1999. She was arrested on October 11th while doing the Falun Gong exercises at a local park with other practitioners, and taken to the Jinzhou Detention Centre.

Immediately after she arrived at the detention centre, Ms. Qu went on a hunger strike to protest her arrest. She was released two days later.

In August 2000, during the National People's Congress meeting, Ms. Qu and three practitioners were arrested at Tiananmen Square. They had planned to submit a petition for the right to practise Falun Gong at the State Council Appeals Office. They were taken to the Jinzhou Detention Centre and held for 45 days.

Ms. Qu was arrested for the third time in October 2001 at Tiananmen Square, when she held a banner and shouted, “Falun Gong is good! Restore Teacher Li's [Teacher Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong] and Falun Gong's reputation.” She wanted to show people the goodness of Falun Gong and protest the persecution.

She was forcibly taken to the police station for interrogation, and later sent to the Huairou County Detention Centre.

The guards brutally beat Ms. Qu at the detention centre for doing the Falun Gong exercises. Nine days later, she developed symptoms of arrhythmia, high blood pressure and gastritis. The guards feared taking responsibility for her condition and immediately released her.

In the summer of 2004 Ms. Qu was arrested by officers from the Linghe District in Jinzhou City. She went on a hunger strike at the police station to protest the persecution. Fourteen days later she was transferred to Shenyang Masanjia Forced Labour Camp, but was not admitted due to her poor health.

Ms. Qu was arrested for the fifth time on October 26th, 2010, and was sentenced to forced labour for one year at the infamous Masanjia, where she was severely tortured, physically and mentally. She was emaciated when she was released.

Background

Ms. Qu Wei started practising Falun Gong in March 1999. She was fired from her job in 2000 on account of her refusal to renounce her belief.

Ms. Qu was filial in taking care of her 90-year-old bedridden father-in-law, and her 83-year-old adopted mother. They are still waiting for her return from the hospital, and haven't been told of her death.

Summary of Key Persecution Facts:
Name: Qu Wei (曲伟)
Gender: Female
Age: 57
Address: Building 73, Le'anli, Guta District
Occupation: Chef
Date of Death: August 26th, 2014
Date of Most Recent Arrest: July 22nd, 2013
Most Recent Place of Detention: Jinzhou Detention Centre (锦州看守所)
City: Jinzhou
Province: Liaoning
Persecution suffered: Beatings, hanging by handcuffs, imprisonment, fired from workplace, physical restraint, interrogation, detention, forced labour
Key Persecutors: Li Meishan, Bai Ning

Persons Responsible for Persecuting Ms. Qu

Li Meishan (李媚珊), female officer from Jinzhou Police Department, +86-13131313244 (mobile)
Bai Ning (白宁), captain of the “Anti-Cult” Unit at Jinzhou Police Department: +86-13700068341 (mobile), +86-13801474168 (mobile), +86-13666609660 (mobile), +86-416-2135511 (land line)