EFGIC: Father and Son Falun Gong Practitioners Die from Torture in Chinese Labour Camp

LONDON (EFGIC) – After more than 3 years of torture and abuse, 65 year-old Mr. Quanfu Zhang was beaten to death in a Chinese forced-labour camp. His son, Qifa Zhang, died 16 days later from sustained torture in the same labour camp.

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Mr. Zhang and his son were both employees of the Jiangyuan County Forestry Bureau in Baishan City. In December 1999 they traveled together to Beijing to peacefully appeal to authorities to end the persecution of Falun Gong. They were subsequently held for approximately a month in a local detention centre.

Mr. Zhang and his son returned to Beijing two months later in February 2000 and were arrested again. The son was taken to Baishan City Labour Camp for 2 years of forced labour. Mr. Zhang was sentenced to 18 months of forced labour.

After continuous harassment from local police following their return home in 2002, the father and son were abducted from their home on the evening of March 6th, and sent to the Chaoyanggou Labour Camp for another year of forced labour.

In the Chaoyanggou Labour Camp, eyewitnesses say the elder Mr. Zhang was physically dragged to meals because he had lost the ability to walk after prolonged torture and abuse. Mr. Zhang defecated pus and blood, his body was covered with scabies, and he became dangerously thin, these eyewitnesses say.

On January 2nd, 2003 Mr. Zhang was beaten to death.

At the time of his father’s death, Qifa was also in critical condition. The skin all over his body was discolored and covered with scars, boils and bruises. His legs were so badly injured he could not walk. He also had difficulty breathing.

Fearing responsibility for his death, the labour camp released Qifa on January 18, 2003. He died the next day from his injuries. He was 38 years old.

Responsible for the deaths of Quanfu and Qifa Zheng:
Chaoyangguo Labour Camp, No. 6 Brigade, Second Team,
Changchun City Police Chief Li Zhongbo
Wang Fuli, prisoner on duty
Phone number: 86-431-4835680

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Background

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about), is a practise of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance.” It is a practise 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 practises 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 practise 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 practise while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practise it.

The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of 654 deaths (reports / 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. Nicolas Schols 32 (0) 479875734
More contacts: http://www.falungonginfo.net/europe.htm
Email: [email protected]