SHANGHAI (AP)--China's outlawed Falun Gong [group] said Friday that 130 detained members were on a hunger strike, but labor camp officials said no protest had taken place.

The hunger strike at the Masanjia Labor Camp, in the northeastern province of Liaoning, began 10 days ago after the camp failed to release group members whose sentences had ended, said Falun Gong members based in New York.

The report said the camp was under new orders not to release recalcitrant group members.

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Falun Gong has previously alleged the use of torture and rape at Masanjia to force detained members to renounce the group. The spiritual movement says more than 250 members have died in custody throughout China during the two-year-old crackdown.

The Chinese government has denied mistreatment of Falun Gong members. [...] Copyright 2001 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.