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| Forced feeding while shackled is a common method employed to thwart Falun Gong practitioners’ efforts to use hunger strikes as a means of peaceful appeal. Brutal means and untrained guards often result in the death of the victim. |
Ms. Zhang Li (an alias) was responsible for organising local efforts to temporarily override state-run cable television feeds in order to broadcast Falun Gong programs countering the regime’s propaganda over the cable TV network of Anshan City, Liaoning Province, earlier this year.
She had been forced to leave her home to avoid arrest, as have thousands of others since the persecution began in 1999.
Police kidnapped Ms. Li on March 19, 2002, along with five other Falun Gong practitioners. According to sources familiar with this case, Ms. Li was severely tortured, her face beaten almost beyond recognition. Finally, to appeal for her right to freedom of belief and protest the torture she received, Ms. Li went on a hunger strike.
Her condition rapidly declining, eyewitnesses say Ms. Li was finally sent to the hospital where she was force-fed in the lobby while still handcuffed and shackled.
Her serious condition captured the attention of many people.
One eyewitness stated, “She is dying yet still handcuffed. She must be on death row.” A policeman responded, “She is a Falun Gong practitioner. We will not try to save her.” The attending physician refused the police demand to sign for her release, so the police had no choice but to leave her in the hospital’s care.
Despite the hospital’s efforts, Ms. Li passed away August 27, 2002.
The police acted quickly to restrict the flow of information about Ms. Li’s death, as is often the case when Falun Gong practitioners die from police brutality. Her family was forbidden to talk to hospital eyewitnesses, and her body was secretly taken away for immediate cremation before friends and family were notified of her death.
Additional deaths reported in the last few days and confirmed by European Falun Gong Information Centre sources in China include:
Zhao Yuezhen, a 48 year-old woman from Zhaojiadian Village, Jiaoxi District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, was tortured to death at 6 pm on June 12th, 2002 by a group of police and representatives of the nationwide agency established with the sole mandate of persecuting Falun Gong, the “610 Office.” She had been repeatedly arrested and her family threatened. She was forced to attend brainwashing sessions, and in the end, was killed for her refusal to relinquish her belief.
Dong Jinlan from Wuwei in Gansu Province was tortured to death on September 10, 2002, eight days after police discovered the location of a Falun Gong materials site she often visited.
Chen Jianling from Wuling county, Jiangxi province was arrested on July 28 and beaten to death that same afternoon. 64-year old Chen Xunan was beaten to death in Shuangkou Labour Camp, Beichen District of Tianjin City on August 15th 2002. County police beat Xun Ruilin, from Handan City, to death after illegally arresting him on August 31, 2002.
Liu Jiming, a practitioner in her early sixties from Qingdao City, was tortured to death on August 25, 2002 by officials of the local “610 Office.” Further details of these cases are under investigation.
The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of 485 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.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EUROPEAN FALUN GONG INFORMATION CENTRE
Contact: Peter Jauhal 44 (0) 7985 034 543.
More contacts: http://www.falungonginfo.net/europe.htm
Email: [email protected]
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