Lanzhou City Falun Gong Practitioner Mr. Zhao Xudong Tortured to Death, His Wife and Mother Still in Detention

On December 7, 2003, Mr. Zhao Xudong, 35, a Dafa practitioner, who worked in the Police Division of Lanzhou City Chemical Industry Company, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, held a small experience-sharing meeting with other practitioners at his home. However, agents from the National Security Bureau noticed them and Mr. Zhao was arrested along with his mother and 9 other practitioners. They were detained at the Hualinshan Second Detention Centre in Lanzhou City. On February 7, 2004, Mr. Zhao was tortured to death. Currently, several Dafa practitioners are still in illegal detention. Mr. Zhao's mother, Ms. Bai Jinyu was beaten so badly that her wounds festered.

This group of 11 Dafa practitioners was abducted by a number of officials led by the Lanzhou City National Security Bureau official Fei Huaiwei. When they were sent to detention and interrogated, Mr. Zhao Xudong resisted the unwarranted persecution and kept shouting "Falun Dafa is Good!" Mr. Zhao and other practitioners were all detained at the Hualinshan Second Detention Centre in Lanzhou City.

On February 7, 2004, after two months of imprisonment, Zhao Xudong died from persecution in the Dashaping Rehabilitation Hospital. On February 8, the Lanzhou City Public Security Bureau and the Police Division of Lanzhou City Chemical Industry Company informed Mr. Zhao's family members that he had died from a lack of oxygen to the brain . Zhao Xudong's father discovered blood in his nose, but was too anguished at that time to pay attention to this detail.

Zhao Xudong's mother, Ms. Bai Jinyu also suffered brutal beatings, and many places on her body were battered. Presently she is very likely being detained in the Lanzhou City Dashaping Labour Camp Hospital. Zhao Xudong's wife Li Hongping, also a Falun Gong practitioner, was arrested two years ago and unjustly sentenced to three years in a labour camp. She is still suffering persecution in the Lanzhou City Pingantai Labour Camp. Presently only his father, Zhao Baoting, and his eight year-old daughter are still at home.

Zhao Xudong was arrested and persecuted many times before his death. Before the 2001 spring festival, Zhao Xudong was arrested by the Police Division of Lanzhou City Chemical Industry Company and sent to Pingantai. In October 2001, as the persecution made his body very weak, he was "released on bail for medical treatment." In March 2002, Zhao Xudong was seen distributing Falun Gong truth-clarifying CDs and was persecuted again. He was released after the efforts of his family members.

Of the 11 Dafa practitioners from Lanzhou City who were arrested by the National Security Bureau agents, some are still imprisoned.

At present, Ms. Qu's parents have been coerced into submitting over 7,000 yuan (2) in brainwashing class fees. Mr. An and Mr. Fan Chunfeng are still imprisoned in the Lanzhou city Hualinshan Second Detention Centre. Mr. Fan's sickly old mother is left home alone and her well-being is in jeopardy.

(1) yuan: Chinese currency, the monthly salary for an average Chinese urban worker is about 500 yuan.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2004/3/2/68971.html