Mr. Yu Xuezhong, 53, Dies in Detention One Day after His Arrest

Name: Yu Xuezhong
Gender: Male
Age: 53
Address: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown
Date of Death: May 30th, 2012
Date of Most Recent Arrest: May 29th, 2012
Most Recent Place of Detention: Gaoxin Police Station
City: Jilin
Province: Jilin
Persecution Suffered: Forced labour

The Jilin City Police Department organised a large-scale arrest of Falun Gong practitioners on the evening of May 29th, 2012. Many police cars were seen on the streets. The police broke into practitioners' homes, harassing and arresting them, and confiscating personal belongings. More than 20 practitioners from the Jilin Downtown area were arrested and their homes were ransacked. Mr. Yu Xuezhong was visiting Mr. Li Wenjun when officers from the Gaoxin Police Station broke into Mr. Li's home. Mr. Li and Mr. Yu were both arrested and taken to the Gaoxin Police Station. They were both interrogated. Mr. Yu died the next day, on May 30th. His family has received the official death notice from the authorities. The details of his death are to be investigated.

According to sources, the police attempted to send Mr. Yu to a brainwashing centre.

Since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began its suppression of Falun Gong in July 1999, Mr. Yu has been repeatedly arrested and detained during the past 13 years. He was sentenced to one year of forced labour in 2004 and was held at the Yinmahe Forced labour Camp in Jiutai City. He was subjected to torture and narrowly escaped death.

According to sources, the Jilin Provincial Party Committee and the Political and Legal Affairs Committee planned this latest round of persecution, ostensibly for security during the Eighteenth National Congress.

Gaoxin Police Station: +86-432-64678595