United States: On International Human Rights Day San Francisco Practitioners Demand Punishment for Chinese Policeman Who Raped Practitioners

On December 10th, 2005, International Human Rights Day, dozens of Falun Gong practitioners in the Bay Area rallied at Union Square to condemn the CCP's grave violation of human rights and demand punishment of the Hebei policeman who raped two women practitioners on November 25th, 2005. A representative of the United Nations Association of the USA Santa Cruz Chapter voiced the organisation's support for Falun Gong at the rally.

Practitioners demand punishment of Hebei policeman who raped two women practitioners	Torture re-enactment

According to Dr. Sherry Zhang, while the UN Special Rapporteur of Torture was conducting an investigation in China on torture, Hebei policeman He Xuejian raped two women practitioners. In the evening of November 24th, 2005, police from the Dongchengfang Town Police Station, Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province took into custody two women Falun Gong practitioners from Xitong Village, Dongchengfang Town, including Ms. Liu Jizhi (51 years old) and Ms. Han Yuzhi (42 years old), from their respective homes. At Dongchengfang Town Police Station, the two women were brutally tortured during interrogation. On the afternoon of the following day, a policeman named He Xuejian raped Ms. Liu Jizhi and Ms. Han Yuzhi during the so-called "official investigation."

Over the past more than six years of persecution of Falun Gong by the CCP, many unlawfully detained women Falun Gong practitioners have been sexually harassed and raped:

• In October 2000, 18 female Falun Gong practitioners who were imprisoned in Masanjia Labour Camp were stripped naked and thrown into male criminals' cells.


• On May 14th, 2001, a Beijing police officer beat and raped a female Falun Gong practitioner.


• In 2001, police officers from Xingtai, Hebei Province gang raped several female practitioners.


• On May 13th, 2003, a Chongqing police officer publicly raped Miss Wei Xingyan, a Falun Gong practitioner and a graduate student from Chongqing University.


• In Dalian Labour Camp, Liaoning Province, police guards stripped off female practitioners' clothes and cuffed their hands and feet spread eagle. Then they stuffed pepper and inserted mop handles or brushes into their vaginas. The victims bled profusely and were in extreme pain. They also suffered from chronic back pain afterwards.


• Dr. Zhang pointed out that the Chinese Communist Regime has consistently violated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, even though the regime ratified it. During his first-ever visit to China, the UN Special Rapporteur of Torture found that torture is still widespread.

"The international community should not tolerate the atrocities committed by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) and we should take action to stop it." Zhang stated.

Jim Morley, representative of the United Nations Association of USA, Santa Cruz Chapter

At the rally, Jim Morley of the United Nations Association said that today is the 57th anniversary of the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a time to review the declaration. "It is specified in Article 5 that 'No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,'" Mr. Morley said.

Mr. Morley stressed that it was crucial that any country, including China, not torture citizens.

Practitioner Li Yu drove from Sacramento to join the rally. She said, "Today is International Human Rights Day and is in fact a sad day, as torture is still happening as I speak. The freedom that we have in the U.S. reminds us how precious human rights are. In China, so many kind-hearted Falun Gong practitioners are being persecuted for their belief and have been deprived of their basic rights."

"Falun Gong practitioners have been continuously calling on the public to pay close attention to the persecution in the past 6 years. The brutality of the CCP is unacceptable and we shall speak out together and take immediate action to stop the persecution," Yu added.

During the rally, practitioners also staged an anti-torture exhibition with real-life models and displayed many photos that detailed the brutality of the persecution.

Passersby viewing photos exposing the facts of the persecution

Lauren passed by the rally site. She cried after she saw the exhibition. She said: "This is 2005! This kind of torture should stop and should not happen anymore." Lauren also signed a petition letter to call for an end to the persecution.

Upon seeing the photo of Liu Jizhi's lower body, which was covered with bruises due to torture and sexual abuse, a lady in her 40s said with great emotion, "This is inhumane! This is inhumane..." She cried. Another gentleman then told her: "On the other side, there are more photos of tortured women and children." They viewed the photos one by one and read the descriptions carefully. They repeatedly said: "They are inhumane! These things have to be stopped!"

After viewing the anti-torture exhibition, San Francisco citizen Mike told practitioners: "This is an effective way, really good. I am deeply impressed. Keep it up!" He said that he had read news about Falun Gong in the past. Mike also signed the petition to support the practitioners' efforts.