EFGIC: 48 Falun Gong Deaths Reported in June and July

48-year-old Mr. Wang Jinzhong was tortured to death on June 12, 2004 at the Tiexi Detention Centre.

LONDON [EFGIC] – The deaths of 48 Falun Gong practitioners in China were verified during June and July. Most were tortured or beaten to death.

Information about the torture or killing of Falun Gong practitioners is officially classified as ‘state secrets’ in China, and therefore, people who uncover and publicize such evidence do so at great risk to themselves.

Many have been killed simply for publicizing the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

The following are a few of the 48 cases reported:

Mr. Zhang Jianhua was found dead after being beaten and left on a restraining bed in Jilin Prison. A restraining bed is a torture device where the victim is tied to the bed with the limbs stretched to their extremity in four directions. A roll of quilt is inserted under the person's body, and the body is then lifted, stretching all four limbs even more. There are reportedly 17 restraining beds in Jilin prison.

Over 100 Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death in Jilin province.

41-year-old Ms. Liu Yuzhu died after suffering abuses at the Changchun City Heizuizi Labour Camp.

Ms. Wang Yaping suffered from bone and liver cancer until 1995. However, her illnesses disappeared through practising Falun Gong. In 2001 she went to Beijing to appeal to the government to stop the persecution and tell them about the benefits of Falun Gong. She was arrested by police and shocked with electric batons. Two of her teeth were knocked out and she was forced to do slave labour. As a result of the prolonged torture Wang eventually became paralyzed and passed away.

Ms. Wang Liyan from Mudanjiang City was arrested for handing out information about the persecution of Falun Gong to fellow Chinese citizens. The police suspected that she knew the location where the materials were printed so they tortured her for six days and nights, but she refused to reveal any information.

She subsequently died of her injuries.

Of the 26 Falun Gong Practitioner deaths verified in June at least half were people over 50 years old. Their names are: Xu Fuzhi, Wang Chuanping, Yang Jinying, Wang Juan, Li Zhen, Chen Ziaoqin, He Shaohuai, Jing Shuhua, Lin Youhui, Wang Yaping, Han Junqing, Li Yansong, Zhang Jianhua, Liu Xiaodong, Bi Guohua, Wang Shujun, Wang Jinzhong, Meng Qingxia, Zhang Shouxin, Zhu Jun, Cui Fu’e, Cheng Zhongzhan, Qi Shuzheng, Shu Zhusi, Shi Yueqin and Mo Niewu.

Most of the deaths revealed in July were women. They are: Cheng Zongzhan, Qi Suzhen, Li Zhi, Liu Yuzhu, Zhu Yulian, Wang Xiaodong, Jiang Yong, Li Guangzhen, Wang Liyan, Zeng Weibi, Li Qiu, Chen Fenglin, Yang Yun, Huang Dengfang, Cao Jinling, Dong Dejun, Chang Shuzhen, Gong Xuezhi, Qu Jie, Zhou Dehong, Wang Zuodian and Yang Hongyan.

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News – August 20, 2004

European Falun Gong Information Centre, www.clearharmony.net

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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." Practised in over 50 countries world-wide, Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture. With government estimates of as many as 100 million practising Falun Gong, China's Communist leader Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practise in July 1999 (report). Since that time, Jiang's regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practise while imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practise it. The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of 1024 deaths (reports / sources) since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. In October 2001, however, Government officials inside China reported that the actual death toll was well over 1,600. Expert sources now 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.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EUROPEAN FALUN GONG INFORMATION CENTRE
Peter Jauhal + 44 (0) 7719 508 268 Nicolas Schols +32 47 98 75 734
More contacts. http://www.clearharmony.net
Email: [email protected]