July 6, 2001

Supporters of a meditation group banned in China are blaming China's president for the increasing number of their supporters dying in Chinese jails.

China correspondent Tom O'Byrne reports Jiang Zemin ordered the crackdown against Falun Gong two years ago.

More than two hundred and forty Falun Gong practitioners have died while in police custody in China. In most cases, police list them as suicide or as a result of natural causes. Human rights groups though, say there's evidence to suggest Falun Gong detainees have been routinely mistreated and abused. In the latest case, family members say many of the 15 women who died in a labour camp had been tortured to death. A reporting ban is preventing any independent verification of the official version of events, which says the fifteen committed suicide. Spokeswoman Sophie Xiao says President Jiang Zemin should take responsibility for every death because he issued the order to eradicate the group. Falun Gong supporters estimate 35 followers have died in custody in the past month.

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/newsdaily/s324941.htm

Posting date: 7/7/2001
Original article date: 7/6/2001
Category: News & Media Reports

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