PRESS RELEASE: Mother of Teenager Died After a Year of Torture in Chinese Detention Centre

Ms. Wu pictured here with her now-teenaged son, before she was detained and tortured for practicing Falun Gong.

Ms. Lingxia Wu, 37, shortly before she died from torture under Jiang Zemin’s persecution of Falun Gong.

Ms. Wu’s case is one of four that have been confirmed by the Falun Gong Information Centre in the past week, bringing the confirmed count to over 455. China authorities put that number in the thousands, however.

“These are regular men and women – fathers and mothers – who are being persecuted and killed simply because they refuse to compromise their right to freedom of belief,” commented Falun Dafa Information Centre spokesman Peter Jauhal.

Since Jiang Zemin’s ban on Falun Gong was launched in 1999, tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained and tortured, often merely for practicing meditation in their homes or possessing materials pertaining to Falun Gong’s teaching of self improvement through truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.

It is widely believed among China scholars that Jiang’s persecution of Falun Gong is politically motivated, aimed at prolonging his grasp on power within the politburo. According to one report by CNN’s senior China analyst, Willy Wo-Lap Lam, “the most severe criticism leveled at Jiang’s handling of the Falun Gong is that he seems to be using the mass movement to promote allegiance to himself.” Lam’s article goes on to quote a senior Communist Party member: “By unleashing a Mao-style movement [against Falun Gong], Jiang is forcing senior cadres to pledge allegiance to his line.”

The Falun Gong Information Centre has recently confirmed the following deaths:

· Mrs. Lingxia Wu, 37, from Shuangyashan City, Heilongjiang Province
· Mr. Xiaochun Zhang, a railroad worker from Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province
· Ms. Xiangyun Deng, 39, a resident of Hegang City, Heilongjiang Province
· Mr. Keshun Ou, 40, a farmer from Changde City, Hunan Province

Mother of Teenager Brutally Beaten and Denied Medical Treatment, Dies After Prolonged Agony

Lingxia Wu, 37, was from Shuangyashan City, Heilongjiang Province. The police arrested her on July 2, 2001 and submitted her to a harsh programme of physical and mental torture. Over the course of a year, Ms. Wu’s legs had swollen to more than twice their normal size, covered with ugly festering wounds. She had become nearly unrecognisable, and severely bloated from a liver condition resulting from her mistreatment. After denying Ms. Wu medical treatment and allowing her health to deteriorate slowly and painfully for more than a year, the police finally released her to escape responsibility for her death. Ms. Wu passed away on July 27, 2002, leaving behind a teenage son.

Police Beat Man to Death after More Than Two Years of Illegal Detention

Xiaochun Zhang was a railroad worker from Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province. Mr. Zhang was first arrested in January 2000 and sent to the Fuyu County Labor Camp. After detaining and physically abusing Mr. Zhang for two years without formally charging him with a crime, the prosecutor finally decided not to proceed with a trial in January 2002. Nevertheless, local authorities openly declared that they would continue to detain him, since Falun Gong “has nowhere to turn to appeal even if the extended detention is illegal,” a labour camp official reportedly said. Mr. Zhang then began a hunger strike in protest. He was then subjected to escalated brutality and beatings. Ten days later, Xiaochun Zhang passed away.

Police Torture Woman to the Verge of Death Twice, Then Shirk Responsibility

Xiangyun Deng, 39, a resident of Hegang City, Heilongjiang Province, was first arrested and detained in February 2001. After more than seven months of abuse by the police, Ms. Deng’s health deteriorated to the point where she suffered from temporary blindness and lapsed in and out of a coma. In October, the police released her for fear of her dying while in custody. Six months later, the police resumed their persecution, once again arresting and detaining her. They subjected her to the same type of brutal torture as before, leading to another steep decline in her health. On August 1, 2002, Ms. Deng was released to her family a second time while on the verge of death. She passed away the very next day, survived by her 10 year-old son and elderly father.

Former Leukemia Sufferer Beaten to Death by Police and Drug Abusers

Keshun Ou, 40, a farmer from Changde City, Hunan Province, happily spoke to his friends and neighbors of being cured of his leukemia by practicing Falun Gong. On January 12, 2001, local police arrested and forced Mr. Ou into a drug rehabilitation centre. A non-drug user, Mr. Ou was actually taken to the “rehabilitation centre” to be subjected to brainwashing in order to force him to give up his practice of Falun Gong. The police subjected him to a series of brutal beatings, after which he was locked up with violent drug abusers, who battered him further. On January 18, only six days later, Keshun Ou passed away from his injuries.

The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of 458 deaths since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600. Over 100,000 have been detained, with more than 20,000 being sentenced to forced labour camps without trial.