Seventeen Falun Dafa Practitioners from Xinjiang, Henan, Sichuan, and Jilin Provinces Die as a Result of Persecution

Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Shen Baoping, 28, was from Xinjiang Province. The persecutors savagely tortured him in the Changji Detention Centre simply because he remained firm in his belief in Falun Gong. The police stripped him of all his clothes and tied him onto a narrow plank. He was not allowed to get up even while eating or relieving himself. He suffered severe bodily and mental harm from this torture. Because Mr. Shen was steadfast in Falun Dafa, the lawless officials sentenced him to a prison term. While in prison, he remained firm in his belief and therefore suffered long-term torture. Shen Baoping was formerly a strong and healthy person, but was tortured so severely that he looked like a skeleton and was covered with wounds all over his body prior to his tragic and untimely death.

Ms. Zhao Jishi, 80, was from Linquan County, Anhui Province. In 1998, she started to practise Falun Gong. In October 1999, her son Zhao Yunbin and granddaughter went to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Dafa. They were illegally arrested and imprisoned in the Linquan County Detention Centre, where they were tortured. Afterwards, they were sentenced to two years of forced labour and were released in 2002, but the police continued to repeatedly harass her family, as well as fine and detain them. Because of this, Ms. Zhao suffered severe physical and mental trauma and she passed away on February 18, 2004. In March 2004, while her son was hanging up some banners exposing the persecution, someone reported him to the authorities. He had no choice but to become homeless once more to avoid arrest. In October, when he was delivering leafltes, the persecutors arrested him again. Zhao Yunbin is presently imprisoned in the Nanhu Prison in Anhui and being subjected to torture.

Ms. Shi Dianzhi, 58, lived in Xinxiang City, Henan Province. On January 3, 2003, when she was explaining the truth about Falun Dafa to people at a train station, the police arrested her and fined her 3,000 yuan (1). Ms. Shi died on April 18, 2003 from the terror of the persecution.

Ms. Shun Xiangmei, 61, lived in Guhe Township, Hui County, Henan Province. In July 2000, Hui County police arrested her and several other practitioners. She was persecuted in the Changcun Detention Centre for ten days. Ms. Shun refused to sign her name or write any kind of guarantee statement (2). Hence, the Detention Centre officials further persecuted her. One month later, because she did not cooperate with the evildoers' demands, she was transferred to the Yuhe Police Station where she suffered from torture and forced labour. She was forced to pay 10 yuan per day for personal expenses, however her meals consisted of a small steamed bun and a small cup of thin soup. Her family members were not allowed to supply her with any additional daily living necessities. After the endless suffering, Ms. Shun's physical health deteriorated. One night she suddenly had unusual symptoms and lost consciousness. Personnel from the police station sent Ms. Shun to the hospital, where she died.

Mrs. Wu Mingli, 60, was from Huangmei County, Hubei Province. Beginning on July 20, 1999, when the persecution began, the police from Xiaochi Township always suspected that she told people the facts about Dafa. They often went to her residence to harass and threaten her. On May 9, 2005 the police went to her home again to harass and threaten her, and searched for Dafa books. Mrs. Wu was compelled to leave home. But the police several times went to threaten her husband, causing him to be extremely frightened. Mrs. Wu was also harassed and threatened many times. She died at 4:00 p.m. on May 25, 2005.

Ms. Luo Meiqing, 68, was a retired worker from the Sichuan Emeishan City Chuantoue Iron Group Limited Company. In 1996 she started practising Falun Gong. Before practising, she suffered from cystitis, pyelonephritis, bursitis in the shoulder, and other illnesses. Firmly practising Falun Gong restored her physical health. After the persecution of Falun Dafa began on July 20, 1999, Ms. Luo went to the Chengdu City Municipal Government to appeal for justice for Falun Dafa. She was arrested and transported back by personnel from the company's 610 Office (3). During the 2000 Chinese New Year, Ms. Luo went to Beijing to appeal for Dafa. After appealing, she was escorted back by the company 610 Office, detained at the Emeishan City Police Department, and fined tens of thousands of "yuan." After returning to her company, Ms. Luo was again detained at the company's community college to be brainwashed. She was kept under 24-hour surveillance. Ms. Luo was not allowed to study the Falun Dafa books or practise the Falun Gong exercises. Her family members imitated her handwriting to write the three statements (4). After learning of this, Ms. Luo went to her company to correct her family members' act of writing the three statements, and indicated that she would remain firm in her belief in Dafa. Ms. Luo suffered a relapse of her former illnesses, including the uremia. She died in June 2002.

Mr. Yang Yinhua, 89, was from Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. At the beginning of 1999, he started to practise Falun Gong in Suining City. After the persecution of Falun Gong began, his daughter went to Beijing twice to appeal for justice for Dafa. She was detained several times and her personal possessions were confiscated. She also had money extorted from her and was dismissed from her workplace. Officers in Chengdu, and personnel from the street administration office harassed and threatened Mr. Yang. As a result of the ongoing persecution, Mr. Yang suffered from severe mental and physical trauma and died in 2004.

Ms. Wu Deming, 73, was from Caijiachang in Chongqing City. In 1996, she started to practise Falun Gong. After July 20, 1999, when the persecution of Dafa began, the vicious perpetrators often went to her residence to harass her. As a result, Ms. Wu became mentally traumatized and died in May 2000.

Ms. Qiao Xuechen, 67, was from Jilin City, Jilin Province. In May 1994, she started to practise Falun Gong. Before practising, she suffered from serious rheumatic arthritis, and her legs and back were distorted. Her lumbar vertebrae were out of alignment at a 90-degree angle and her legs were in the shape of an X. After practising Falun Gong, her back and legs straightened, and her previous illnesses disappeared without any medical treatment. Ms. Qiao told everyone she met that Falun Dafa is good. After July 1999, when the wicked CCP (Chinese Communist Party) started to persecute Falun Gong, Qiao Xuechen went to the different appeals offices of all levels of government, seeking justice for Falun Gong, but got no response. She suffered from severe mental trauma because of the persecution, and died on May 11, 2003.

Mr. Qian Junlin, 73, retired from the Jilin Nickel Industry Company in Panshi City. In 1995 he started to practise Falun Gong. After July 20, 1999, the vicious authorities frequently harassed him, which caused him severe mental and physical trauma. He died on March 9, 2005.

Ms. Wen Yumei, 61, retired from the Jilin Nickel Industry Company in Panshi City. She started to practise Falun Gong in 1996. After the persecution started, Ms. Wen went to Beijing to appeal for Dafa, but personnel from the local police station detained her for 15 days. In October 2002 she was abducted and taken to the Panshi City Brainwashing Class to be persecuted. After she returned home, the police continuously went to Ms. Wen's residence to harass her. She suffered from severe mental and physical trauma and died in February 2004.

Ms. Zhao Hongmei, 25, was from Baishishan in Jilin Province. She started to practise Falun Dafa in 1998. She was arrested in June 2000 when she was making leaflets exposing the persecution, and was sentenced to one year of imprisonment. She was later released on bail. In 2002 Ms. Zhao was arrested again. She was released on bail for medical treatment after her family, through connections, paid a 2,000 yuan fine. Later, they tried very hard to get the money back. Ms. Zhao suffered from severe mental trauma as a result of the persecution. Prior to practising Falun Dafa, she had suffered from heart problems. Zhao Hongmei died from a heart attack on May 6, 2005.

Mr. Ma Zhijin, who was in his 60s, was from Changchun City, Jilin Province. When he was visiting his daughter in Dalian City, he distributed some leaflets exposing the persecution. Officers from the Laohutan Police Station in Dalian arrested him. During his detention there, Mr. Ma jumped from the second floor of the police station and was severely injured. He died in November 2003.

Mr. Zhang Shiren, 75, was from Wendeng City, Shandong Province. In 1996, he started to practise Falun Gong. After July 20, 1999 he moved to Yantai City. Because he practised Dafa, the local police in Yantai detained him. Later, through some connections, he was released but died from illness on April 23, 2002.

Ms. Guan Juan, 37, was from Shuangcheng City, Heilongjiang Province. In 2000 she went to Beijing to appeal for Dafa. She was extorted out of about 3,000 yuan and was monitored for a long period of time. Ms. Guan could not properly practise or study the Falun Dafa books, hence her previous illnesses returned. She died in November 2004.

Ms. Yang Huimin, 51, was from a village near Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province. She once had high blood pressure, but after starting Falun Gong practice in February 1999, her illness disappeared without any medical treatment. After the persecution started Ms. Yang suffered severe physical and mental trauma. She was unable to practise on a regular basis. Yang Huimin suffered from a sudden massive stroke and died on March 6, 2005.

Ms. Li Xiuzhen, 64, was employed at the Handan City State Cotton Textile Factory, Fourth Factory in Hebei Province. Because she practised Falun Gong, her residence was disturbed many times. Ms. Li suffered from mental trauma and died on February 15, 2003.

Note:

(1) "Yuan" is the Chinese currency; 500 yuan is equal to the average monthly income of an urban worker in China.

(2) "Guarantee Statement": A statement to declare that one is remorseful for practising Falun Gong and guarantees not to practise Falun Gong again, not to go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, and never again associate with any Falun Dafa practitioners.

(3) "The 610 office" is an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems.

(4) "Three Statements": Practitioners are coerced under brainwashing and torture to write "Repentance Statement," "Guarantee Statement" or 'Dissociation Statement" as proof that they have given up their belief. In the statement, the practitioner is forced to admit remorse for practising Falun Gong, promise to give up Falun Gong, and never again associate with other practitioners or go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2005/5/31/103033.html