The Suffering of Chen Aizhong’s Family Arouses Attention in the UN

Since Jiang’s group began suppressing Falun gong in 1999, authorities in Zhangjiagkuo City, Hebei Province, have followed Jiang’s persecution instructions to the letter. In addition to illegal imprisonment and sending a huge number of Falun Gong practitioners to forced labour camps, over ten practitioners have been persecuted to death in that city. Among them were two of Chen Aizhong’s family members, who were tortured to death in succession, Chen Aizhong and his younger sister Chen Hongping.

The International Education Development appealed against the Chen family’s suffering to the chairperson and representatives of all the member countries of the UN Human Rights Commission on April the 1st, 2004, and urged the UN to set up a task force for China issues, and designate a special human rights superintendent to China.

In her speech, human rights attorney Karen Parker pointed out that, “The U.N. Working Group on Illegal Arrest has dealt with many cases regarding Falun Gong practitioners. In fact, the number of cases regarding illegal arrest of Falun Gong practitioners has far exceeded the working group’s capacity. The same is true for other special human rights superintendents. For instance, the number of cases regarding illegal killing and cruel torture is also pretty large. However, these numbers are not striking if compared with the fact that nine hundred plus Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death and one hundred thousand plus practitioners have been illegally arrested. The basic human rights of far more people who support Falun Gong are not protected. The Chinese government refuses the UN’s investigation and the case of Chen Aizhong’s family is a most remarkable example."

"Although Asma Jerry, specialist of the illegal killing working group, together with the illegal arrest special task force, has sent an urgent appeal regarding the suffering of Chen Aizhong’s family to the Chinese Government, unfortunately some of Chen Aizhong’s family members were still persecuted to death. Among them was Chen Hongping, who underwent cruel torture for a year and a half, with her weight dropping from 110 Kgs to 50 Kgs. She finally died on March the 5th, 2003. Because the number of cases involving China has far exceeded the capacity of the UN’s mechanism, the UN set aside a specialist dealing with China’s cases exclusively. In China, Falun Gong practitioners take the lion’s share of oppression due to political or other reasons. As a result, any resolution that can stop the persecution of Falun Gong is especially needed."

Ms Parker’s speech aroused participants’ attention, and many people asked her for a copy of the transcript.