Taiwanese Falun Gong Practitioner Arrested in China

On July 31st, 2009, Ms. Shao Yuhuan, a citizen of Taiwan, was arrested in China, when she was visiting her family. Contact with her has since been lost.

Yang Yi, chief of the News Bureau and spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Chinese Communist Party, is visiting Taiwan. Zhang Chinghsi, chair of the Falun Dafa Association in Taiwan, submitted a letter to Yang Yi on August 1st, requesting that the Chinese government release Shao Yuhua.

Ms. Shao Yuhua, from Nanyang, Henan Province, married a Taiwanese and moved to Taiwan eleven years ago. She started practising Falun Gong in December 2007. In July 2009, she went to Henan, China with her 10 year-old daughter, and stayed at her sister's house. On July 31st, Shao Yuhua was arrested by Chinese police at the gate of Nanyang Cigarette Factory. Her friend, Ms. Xiao, said the policemen called her first, and deceived her into leaving the house, then they arrested her. The police also searched her sister's house, and confiscated Shao's passport, cash and other personal belongings. They later took way Shao's sister, Shao Yuxiu.

Zhao Chinghsi, and Chu Wanchi, a famous Taiwanese human rights lawyer, held a press conference on August 1st.

Chu Wanchi pointed out that Shao Yuhua broke no laws in China. She was arrested only because she is a Falun Gong practitioner. She requested that Yang Yi help protect Shao's basic rights.

Chiu Yi, a Taiwanese Legislative Member, spoke at the press conference over the phone. He said that the China Affairs Office in the Taiwanese Legislature, and other organisations which deal with Chinese affairs, should actively ask the Chinese government to release Shao. He also said that since Yang Yi emphasised freedom in media reporting in his speech, he should express his opinion on this issue publicly.

Cheng Shuda, Shao's husband, said that Shao went back to Henan in 2007, before she started practicing Falun Gong, and nothing happened. But this time she was arrested. He requested help in rescuing his wife.

Chang Chinghsi, Chu Wanchi, and other Falun Gong supporters went to a party that Yang Yi attended, trying to talk to Yang Yi in person, but they were stopped by police.

The Chinese Communist Party launched the persecution of Falun Gong on July 20th, 1999. Since then, 3292 Falun Gong practitioners death cases have been confirmed. Practitioners have been tortured to death. Of the death cases, 53.8 0nvolved women and 56.8% represent practitioners 50 years of age or older.

In January and October, 2003, Taiwanese citizens Wang Hsiuhua and Li Hsiaohsu were arrested in Shanghai and jailed for a month. Policemen tried to force them to divulge the identities of other practitioners. Taiwanese resident Li Xinju was arrested in January 2004 in Jiangxi China, when she visited her mother. She was jailed for 96 hours.

Several practitioners who are citizens or residents from other countries, such as Switzerland, America, New Zealand, Germany, Canada, and Japan, have also been harassed by Chinese police when they visited China.

Many media in Taiwan, including the Central News, Freedom Daily, Taiwan Daily, China Times, Taipei Times and Central Radio covered the arrest of Shao Yuhua.