Sunday, 19 August, 2001

Chinese courts have imprisoned 45 people for up to 13 years for helping to organise activities of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which the authorities want to wipe out.

The 45 were found guilty of staging protests and manufacturing banners and leaflets countering the government's official line that the movement, which teaches meditation and exercise, is an "[Jiang Zemin government's slanderous term omitted]".

The heaviest punishment, a 13-year prison term, was imposed on Zhang Hwangei, who was accused of arranging accommodation for Falun Gong supporters visiting Beijing from other parts of China.

Falun Gong was banned in 1999 by the ruling [party's name omitted] Party, which accuses the movement of wanting to overthrow the government.

Two other defendants, Shao Qiang and Qiu Xiuxin, were jailed for 10 years for making banners and encouraging supporters to raise them in Tiananmen Square - a focus of Falun Gong protests before the [group] was banned.

Hunger strike

Meanwhile, eight members of the movement launched a hunger strike outside the Chinese embassy in Washington, demanding the release of supporters held in Chinese jails.

The strikers intend to drink nothing but water and sleep in their cars, and have pledged to keep up the protest for as long as possible.

In the past two years, Falun Gong says more than 50,000 followers have been sent to prisons, labour camps and mental hospitals.

Human rights groups say about 200 of them have died from torture during detention, and followers are often sent to camps before receiving a trial.

The government has acknowledged several deaths in custody, but has attributed these to suicide or ill-health.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1498000/1498752.stm

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