Chengdu Business Newspaper Reporter Admits to Fabricating News to Slander Falun Gong

Chen Yong, a reporter of Chengdu Business Newspaper in Langzhong, Sichuan Province, has fabricated stories that Shen Suqin had "cultivation insanity" and that she "burned papers and hurt her own hands." In fact, Shen Suqin had been diagnosed and was treated for mental illness. Falun Gong has very clear requirements that mentally ill patients cannot practise Falun Gong. However, Shen Suqin learned Falun Gong by herself and several days after she learned the practice, she carelessly hurt her own hands when she went to burn memorial papers for her mother who just passed away.

This lie was published in many newspapers in Sichuan Province and "China Legal System Daily," and even won the "Excellent News Report Prize of Sichuan Province." Within a short period of time, this lie deceived many people. In June 2000, when Langzhong celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival, the Propaganda Department of Langzhong City once again displayed this fake news report and pictures in the city central square. The policemen of city public security bureau arrested three Falun Gong practitioners including Ms. Peng Suzhen, who went to the offices of the Propaganda Department and the City Party Committee to clarify the truth to them. They sent practitioners to the city public security bureau, jailed them in iron cages and even seized their homes.

Reporter Chen Yong received public criticism and felt guilty. He went to the public security bureau to clarify to them that his article had "several places that were not accurate" and persuaded the police to not arrest people because of this incident. The police not only refused to release practitioners, but also arrested over one dozen more Dafa practitioners later that evening. These practitioners were illegally detained, interrogated, fined, and had their homes confiscated.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2003/3/26/47170.html