Austrian Green Party’s Statement of Support at the Falun Dafa Press Conference in Vienna

Member of parliament, Mrs. Terezija Stoisits from the Austrian Green Party’s gave the following speech at the Falun Dafa press conference on 7th December

Tortures and Executions: Daily Life in a Chinese Prison

It has been know for years that the Chinese government and her authorities commit extreme human rights abuses. This is a recurring theme with the international media and in political rhetoric, but that does not change the fact that OECD States do little to or only the bare minimum to intervene or support pressure on the Chinese government [for change]. Economic trade considerations and interests prevent a common action.

It was therefore possible for China to enter the international association of states, feeding everyone dubious statements, to wit:

China refuses responsibility for torture and murder in its prisons. But research by Amnesty International regarding the Chinese government’s claims proves otherwise.

Women members of Falun Gong are particularly hard hit by these Chinese torture methods, because they have been declared “politically dangerous.” Falun Gong, however, is a meditation method devoid of any force. Falun Gong’s sheer volume of followers has been felt as a threat and provocation by the Chinese government for years. Calm and peaceful mass demonstrations have not changed that perception. That’s why Falun Gong was outlawed in China in 1999. Women followers who demonstrate their belief in public are immediately arrested and often tortured. More than 320 have been killed while in custody so far.

The Chinese government reports self-mutilation, prison revolts and suicides [among Falun Gong]. Photo and other picture analyses prove the opposite:

- Women Falun Gong members are incarcerated for months on end, without due process of law.
- Detention situations mirror those during the Cambodian war – tiny cells without plumbing, toilets or beds.
- To date, 100 different torture methods have been used and can be verified. Some of those include third-degree burns from irons; injections; beatings.
- Prisoners are sometimes languishing in cells that do not allow one to stand upright.

We must unfortunately assume that all these human rights abuses are the same for all incarcerated individuals. Amnesty International has for years bemoaned the human rights situation in China. Especially the situation in prisons is as horrible as before. Suffering in solitary confinement and forced labour camp stays are the order of the day. Daily tortures are a common, daily occurrence, which often brings about the death of the victim. Those who survive the tortures are usually maimed for life. Not seldom are threats made against family, or family members are tortured in place of the other person. We have learned of cases where infants were incarcerated with their mothers and also, together with their mothers, they were tortured to death.

Mass executions are taking place as before. A large portion of “torture resulting in death” occurs within the first 24 hours of incarceration.

Tibet is a special case. Numerous incarcerated individuals are killed every year. Many cases exist where the cause of death remains nebulous.

The Chinese authorities refuse access to Chinese prisons for the purpose of research. One must therefore rely on reports of inmates and their families. What makes these reports believable is the exact same information from many people. In the past few years we have noted that various newspapers have dared to report more and more about torture practices.

China is a member state of the committee “Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.” That is one of the reasons the government is obligated to assure that torture will be outlawed. Every attempt at torture must therefore be handled within the letter of the law.

Therefore, THE GREENS” (a political party) demand:

- Release of all political prisoners
- Immediate improvement of prison conditions
- Abolishing of torture
- For Austria to become more intensively involved with the human rights situation in
China, utilizing Austria’s position in international relations.