Artist's Sketch Mr. Hong Haoyuan's death was one of 10 recently reported from China. Labor camp guards dragged him through fields in their attempts to force him to renounce his spiritual beliefs.

NEW YORK (FDI) -- As the Falun Gong death count continues its rapid ascent, ten more innocent practitioners have been confirmed dead in provinces all over China, largely due to physical and psychological torture inflicted in detention centers and labor camps. The current total of confirmed deaths now stands at 644:

• Ms. Jiang Xiuying, a Hebei Province resident who died at the age of 52
• Mr. Zhao Xiuqi, a Hebei Province resident who was detained and tortured numerous times before his death
• Mr. Liang Huabing, from Guangdong Province, who died in his early twenties
• Mr. Hong Haoyang, a resident of Chaozhou, Guangdong Province
• Ms. Li Decong, a 50 year-old resident of Sichuan Province, dies after losing her home in the persecution
• Mr. Zou Benhui, resident of Changchun, Jilin Province
• Mr. Liu Haibao, resident of Changchun, Jilin Province
• Ms. Li Hua, resident of Jilin Province, who was detained multiple times before her death
• Mr. Wang Shuxian, resident of Nong'an, Jilin Province
• Mr. Tao Shangen, 65 year-old resident of Hebei Province

Ms. Jiang Xiuying Dies from Malnutrition and Sun Exposure Ten Minutes After Leaving Detention Center

Under orders from the Xingwangzhai Township Government, Shirengou Police arrested 4 male and 13 female Falun Gong practitioners during the intense heat of summer. The average temperature at the time was 39 degrees Celsius (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit). Each practitioner was forced to stand outside in the sun during the day and given only meager bowls of rice soup for nutrition. Ms. Jiang Xiuying was forced to stand in the rain for an entire day after not being fed for 3 days, having a dramatic negative impact on her health. She was subsequently sent home as the police sought to escape responsibility for her rapidly declining physical state. Ten minutes after Ms. Jiang Xiuying returned home, she passed away.

Senior Citizen Beaten and Tortured Numerous Times Before his Death

Mr. Zhao Xiuqi was harassed, detained, and tortured numerous times by police and officials in his area. Starting on July 10th 2000, Mr. Zhao was detained by his work unit for 41 days. Police there "fined" him 2000 Yuan (500 Yuan is the average monthly salary for an urban worker in China), and then detained him for 11 months. Before being released on August 18th 2001 Mr. Zhao was beaten several times. Police harassed his family members as well.

On October 17th 2002, Policemen Li Heping and Li Yaoting kidnapped Zhao Xiuqi and ransacked his home. On October 24th he was sent to Tangshan City Second Detention Center where he died only 40 days later.

Healthy Practitioner Detained in Mental Hospital; Later Dies from Edema

During the summer of 2000 Liang Huabing went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. On his way to the capitol, police at the Guangzhou Railway Station arrested him and despite his perfect physical and mental health sent him to a mental hospital at Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. Later on Mr. Liang's family was called in to bail him out. When his family arrived to pick him up they found that he was extremely weak and was afflicted with edema all over his body. Liang Huabing died shortly after returning home.

Hong Haoyuan Tortured to Death for Not Writing a "Repentance Statement"

Mr. Hong Haoyuan went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, and was later detained and sentenced to two years of forced labor at the Sanshui Labor Camp. Mr. Hong recorded the cases of torture that he endured, which involved being dragged on the ground through fields as the labor camp guards attempted to force him to write a "repentance statement" to stop practicing Falun Gong. If he did not cooperate with their tortures he was shocked with electric batons in sensitive areas such as the armpits and nipples.

Hong Haoyuan was at one point young and strong. However when he was released his relatives and friends were unable to recognize him because he was so emaciated and fragile. He passed away on Febuary 5th 2003 at 2:00 AM as a result of the damage done to his body in the labor camp.

Guangdong Resident Dies While Homeless, Escaping Brutal Police

Fifty-year-old Ms. Li Decong was kidnapped while working in a teashop on Mashi Street in Guanghan City. Ms. Li was sent to the Hexing Town brainwashing center, where 6 agents from the local "610 Office" (an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems) lifted her into the air and slammed her to the ground six times, causing severe internal injuries and hemorrhages to her body. In order to escape responsibility for this, the agents sent Li Decong to the Guanghan City No. 2 People's Hospital. Ms. Decong escaped from police while in the hospital, however she was now forced to live on the run, moving from place to place without a home. Fifty days after the ordeal began, Ms. Decong passed away.

Zou Benhui Dies From Liver Disease Caused by Torture in Detention Centers

Mr. Zou Benhui, age 50, was detained and tortured several times by police, and even had his home ransacked a number of times as well. Due to the resulting stress Mr. Zou developed severe liver disease. Mr. Zou Benhui passed away in his home in early 2003.

Changchun Police Try to Cover Up Thirty Year-Old Falun Gong Practitioner's Death

Mr. Liu Haibao also had his home ransacked, was illegally detained, and was tortured brutally by police on several occasions. Liu Haibao was tortured to death in March 2002 at the Kuancheng Branch of the Changchun Police Department. To cover up their crimes, officials tightly sealed the news of Mr. Liu's death.

Thirty Year-Old Practitioner Dies After Repeated Detentions and Harassment

Ms. Li Hua is a practitioner who was harassed at her home more than ten times, illegally detained three times, and had her home ransacked by police twice. Ms. Li became very physically weak after having been illegally arrested. Even after they released her, police continued to arrest Ms. Li. Due to the resulting physical and mental stress that she endured, Li Hua died in November of 2002 in her home.

Ms. Wang Shuxian, Age 45, Dies on Way to Hospital From Torture Wounds

Wang Shuxian was repeatedly tortured both physically and psychologically at the Nong'an County Second Detention Center. Even when Ms. Wang's health was rapidly deteriorating, the detention center guards were still ruthless with her. Only when her family members saw her on the verge of death and demanded she be sent to a hospital was Ms. Wang given medical attention. However, she died on her way to the hospital.

Police Ransack Home of 65 Year-Old Man, Detain and Torture Him to Death

Tao Shangen was first detained in 2001 after going to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. Mr. Tao's family members had 6000 Yuan (500 Yuan is the average monthly salary for an urban worker) extorted from them in exchange for his release. At midnight, October 24th 2002, police searched Tao Shangen's home and confiscated some Falun Gong books. and a mimeograph machine. Mr. Tao was immediately arrested and sent to the Ningjing County Detention Center. In February 2003 Tao Shangen began a hunger strike to protest his detention. Guards ordered inmates to beat Mr. Tao until he was almost dead, and when his death was nearing, Ningjing County Detention Center tried to transfer him to Handan City Labor Camp to escape responsibility for his death. However, because the labor camp would not accept Mr. Tao, Ninjing police were forced to ask Mr. Tao's family take him home. Tao Shangen died 3 days after returning to his home.

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NEWS -- Apr. 4, 2003

Falun Dafa Information Center, www.faluninfo.net

Background

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about), is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It is a practice that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but it is distinct and separate from other practices such as the religions of Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50 countries.

With government estimates of as many as 100 million practicing Falun Gong, China's President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999 (report), fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiang's regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.

The Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of 644 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 labor camps, typically without trial.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER -- Gail Rachlin 917-501-4441, Levi Browde 914-720-0963, Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, or Feng Yuan 917-941-1097. Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com, Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/