Two Elderly Falun Dafa Practitioners Tortured to Death by Police in Shandong and Gansu Province

Falun Dafa Information Center February 3 report: according to a source from Mainland China, in 2001 and 2002, two elderly Dafa practitioners in their 60s died as a result of torture by police officers from Shandong Province and Gansu Province.

Farmer and Dafa practitioner Ms. Guo Ruixue from Shandong Province tortured to nearly death two years ago

According to sources from Shandong Province, Falun Gong practitioner Guo Ruixue, a woman farmer in her 60s who lived in Dongnanjie Village, Anqiu City, Shandong Province went to Beijing in 2000 to appeal and was detained. After Guo Ruixue was released, police from Anqiu City Police Department abducted her when she was distributing truth clarification information.

According to witnesses, Guo Ruixue was savagely tortured in the detention centre. The guards shocked her whole body with electric batons until her hands and face were covered with blisters. She also became incontinent and was not released until she was near death. She deteriorated after that and passed away at Anqiu City People's Hospital in the summer of 2001, two to three months after her release from the prison.

Recently, officials from Anqiu City Police Department "610 Office" (86-536-4383927) and Anqiu City Police Department Head Office (86-536-4383912) both verified Guo Ruixue's death. They also admitted that police from Anqiu City Police Department had arrested her.

Construction worker Zhang Youqing died from torture in 2002

According to a source from Gansu Province, Mr. Zhang Youqing was born in 1944 and lived on Sanyuan Street, in Wuyi Village, Nan'an Township, Longxi County, Gansu Province. He was tortured to near death in 2002. Zhang Youqing was a construction worker in Longxi County and was awarded the distinction of "outstanding worker" almost every year.

Zhang Youqing and his wife began practising Falun Gong in December of 1998. Around January 1, 2001, Zhang Youqing and his wife went to Beijing to appeal. They were arrested in Tiananmen Square and thrown into jail. After they were sent back to their hometown, Zhang Youqing was sentenced to forced labour for six months. He persisted in Dafa practice after he was released.

On January 25, 2002, police officer Song Jianhua and several other officers broke into Zhang Youqing's home and demanded to know if the couple was still practising Falun Gong. Zhang Youqing said, "I'm still practising." The police took Zhang Youqing and his wife away and sent them to the Longxi County Detention Centre. They issued a criminal detention notice to Zhang's family.

On April 22, Zhang Youqing was issued a release warrant. Police officer Song Jianhua said, "No, you can't go home." He claimed he'd hold Zhang Youqing and his wife until they died in prison.

In May, Zhang Youqing contracted diarrhoea and couldn't eat. His health declined day by day. In September, Song Jianhua interrogated him when he was extremely weak and asked if he would continue to practise Dafa. Mr. Zhang Youqing firmly answered he would and said, "I got a release warrant and you still won't let me go. You are persecuting us Falun Gong practitioners!" Song Jianhua grew furious and beat Zhang Youqing until the practitioner's face turned white as a sheet and he couldn't stand up. Within a few days, Zhang Youqing lost control of his bladder and bowel. The detention centre authority transferred him to a custody centre.

On November 1, the custody centre authority told Zhang Youqing's family to pick him up. Zhang Youqing was bedridden then and was skin and bones. The guards from the custody centre ordered Zhang Youqing's son to write a "guarantee statement"* in Zhang Youqing's name, and then they grabbed Zhang Youqing's hand and pressed it on the statement. Dafa practitioner Mr. Zhang Youqing passed away three days later.

Recently, a male employee at the Longxi County Construction Company (86-932-6622369) verified that Zhang Youqing was sent to a custody centre because he went to Beijing to appeal. He was released on parole for medical treatment and died several days after his release. This person also said, "Zhang Youqing was a really good person."

A female official from the Longxi County Police Department (86-932-6622128) verified that Zhang Youqing had been held at a custody centre. A male official from the custody centre said Zhang Youqing had died of unknown causes after he was released.

* A guarantee statement says that the practitioner is remorseful for ever having practised Falun Dafa and will not do so again, will neither associate with other practitioners, nor go to Bejing to appeal and will reveal personal information about other practitioners.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2004/2/6/66733.html