EFIC: Chinese Celebrate the New Year: Increasing Persecution, Torture and Killing

Falun Gong practitioners urge media, government officials, human rights organisations and individuals in the UK to help rescue their family members from torture in China

LONDON (EFGIC) – As the Chinese community celebrates the New Year, the Jiang Zemin regime is increasing its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of 557 deaths (reports / sources) 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, while expert sources estimate that figure to be much higher. Hundreds of thousands have been detained, with more than 100,000 being sentenced to forced labour camps, typically without trial.

At the time of the Chinese New Year, Falun Gong practitioners in the UK are holding a number of activities throughout the UK to help rescue their family members who have been incarcerated in China. Three of these cases are listed below.

	Mr. ZHENG Xujun was a Ph.D student in China Electric Power Research Institute, studied in Liverpool University (UK) for a joint research project in January 1999, he ran a free weekly Falun Gong exercise class in Liverpool. He also attended Falun Gong events in UK. When he returned to China, he was arrested and sentenced to two years in a forced labour camp in September 2001. His wife Mrs SU Nan also a practitioner, was sentenced to 3 years in a forced labour camp, during this time she was subjected to unimaginable torments, including being handcuffed to a window for over 40 days.
	Ms. ZHU Baolian, sent to prison for 4 years in Beijing for distributing leaflets against the persecution of Falun Gong, her whereabouts were not known until August 2001 when her relatives learned that she was being held at the Beijing (Daxing) Women’s Prison. Her brother Mr ZHU Baosheng who lives in London, calling for the immediate release of his sister, and permission to visit his sister in China as soon as possible.
	Ms ZHU Yongjie is 29 years old. She lives in Beijing, China,.The Ministry of National Security in China arrested her on November 4, 2002 in Beijing. Since then, her whereabouts are unknown. After Yongjie was arrested, the Ministry of National Security interrogated her parents about her fiancé’s activities in UK. Her fiancé Mr. XIE Weiguo has just completed his PhD study at UMIST in Manchester. He is also a Falun Gong practitioner and has been blacklisted by the Chinese Ministry because of his involvement with Falun Gong human rights events in UK.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EUROPEAN FALUN GONG INFORMATION CENTRE
Peter Jauhal 44 (0) 7739 172 452.
More contacts. http://www.falungonginfo.net/europe.htm
Email: [email protected]