United States: Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group Raises Concern over Deaths of Practitioners in Police Custody

The Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group (FalunHR, headquartered in California) issued an appeal to world governments and media on August 22nd, 2008, to pay attention to the Chinese Communist regime's recent mass arrests of Falun Gong practitioners, particularly the cases in which the practitioners died shortly after they were arrested.

It said in part: "...the Chinese government not only refused to fulfill its promise to improve human rights for the Beijing Olympics, but, in fact, used security concerns for the Olympics as a pretext to cleanse the whole country. As a result, a large number of innocent people have suffered incarceration and torture, and many have been killed, making them victims of the Beijing Olympics." "In the past few months, over 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been rounded up in various cities in China, and many have been tortured to death after only a few weeks in custody. The arrests have been so widespread that many citizens and residents of other countries have had their relatives arrested in China. Considering that only a very small percentage of Chinese people have overseas connections, the situation is really very severe."

The following are a few examples of Falun Gong practitioners recently tortured to death and included in the appeal letter:

Bai Heguo

Mr. Bai Heguo, 45, lived in Dongguangshan Village, Liutiao Town in Dengta City, Liaoning Province. The police from the Tongerpu District Police Department sentenced him to 11 years in the Liaoning Province Huazi Prison. Because he remained firm in his faith, he was then taken to Nanguanling Prison in Dalian City, where he was tortured to death in less than two weeks. His body was covered with bruises; he had a bump on his head and a cut on his tongue, which protruded from his mouth; his leg was broken; his testes had been crushed; and he was emaciated. He was clearly tortured to death. The authorities hurriedly cremated his body.

Gu Jianmin

Ms. Gu Jianmin, 53, lived in the 13th Building-Apt. 601, 400 Lane, Yangguangxincun Neighbourhood, Qishan Street, Pudong New District, Shanghai. Although she was perfectly healthy, she died just 13 days after the police from the Yangjing Police Station in Pudong New District arrested her on March 1st, 2008. On the day of her death, the authorities asked her husband to process a medical parole. However, when he finally saw her, her eyes were protruding, her pupils were enlarged, and she was bleeding from the mouth. No one was taking care of her. He begged the doctors to save her. They made a quick attempt and then declared her dead.

Gu Qun

Mr. Gu Qun, 50, worked for the Xigang District Industrial and Commercial Bureau in Dalian City, Liaoning Province. On the afternoon of March 16th, 2008, officers from the Tianjin Street Police Station arrested Mr. Gu while he was distributing Falun Gong materials. The next day they took him to the Yaojia Detention Centre. After 2: 00 p.m. on April 9th, his family was notified that he had died. He died less than three weeks after his arrest.

Sun Guanzhou

Mr. Sun Guanzhou, 62, lived in Yuzhou City, Henan Province. He was a professor at Yuzhou City Education College. On March 3rd, 2008, Domestic Security agents arrested him. Shortly after his arrest, the authorities took him to the hospital where the doctor said he should not remain in detention. They then demanded 25,000 yuan to release him, but the family didn't have that much. He died on March 9th. His family was notified to go to Beiguan Hospital. When they arrived, they saw Mr. Sun's corpse. Mr. Sun died within a week of his arrest.

Ms. Zong Xiuxia lived in the Fangzi District in Weifang City, Shandong Province. The police arrested her at 9:00 a.m. while she was shopping. She died after only four hours in police custody.

The Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group will continue to pay attention to the mass killing of Falun Gong practitioners happening in China, and will follow up and expose these crimes.