"Mere belief in the discipline [Falun Gong], without any outward manifestation of its tenets, has been sufficient grounds for practitioners to receive punishments ranging from loss of employment to imprisonment, and in many cases, to suffer torture and death"

-- U.S. State Department Annual Human Rights Report, 2002

The U.S. State Department's annual report criticized the Chinese "authoritarian state" over the poor state of human rights in China.

WASHINGTON DC (FDI) -- In its annual human rights report, the U.S. State Department criticized the Chinese regime -- what it called an "authoritarian state" -- over the "poor" state of human rights in China.

Issued on March 31, the U.S. report mentioned Falun Gong more than 80 times, highlighting the severe persecution against the practice in virtually every section of the report, including "arbitrary" and "unlawful" killings, arrest and detention as well as denial of freedom of belief, speech, assembly and association.

The report also cited the regime's continuing use of state-run media and the police in "an intense propaganda and police campaign against the Falun Gong."

Torture and Killings

The U.S. report highlighted the widespread practice of torturing Falun Gong practitioners in police custody, which often leads to severe injuries or death. "Several hundred Falun Gong adherents reportedly have died in detention due to torture, abuse," the report said. The report later added, "...many of their bodies reportedly bore signs of severe beatings or torture or were cremated before relatives could examine them."

As an example, the report summarized the case of Ms. Fangying Zheng of Weifang City, Shandong Province, who traveled to Beijing to unfurl a banner reading "Falun Dafa is good" in Tiananmen Square. "[Ms.] Zheng was taken to a detention center where she was punched and shocked with electric batons," the report says.

Ms. Zheng went on hunger strike to protest the torture, but the beatings continued. After 18 days, she was released and died from her injuries three days after returning to her home in Weifang City (full story).

(Click to read the Wall Street Journal's Pulitzer Prize winning series detailing the torture and killing of Falun Gong practitioners in Weifang City and other regions around China.)

Psychiatric Facilities Used as Detention and "Re-education" Centers

The U.S. report outlined the continued use of high-security psychiatric hospitals -- known as "ankang" institutions -- to incarcerate "dissidents and other targeted individuals." These institutions are used to both destroy the will of individuals, while at the same time using their incarceration as a propaganda tool to promote the idea that these individuals are "insane."

Dozens of Falun Gong practitioners are reported to have died from torture and injection of unknown substances in "ankang" facilities.

The U.S. report highlighted the case of Mr. Jinchun Huang, "A judge in Beihai, fired from his job and admitted to a psychiatric hospital in November 1999 for refusing to renounce his belief in Falun Gong, also remained in an ankang facility at year's end. He reportedly displayed no signs of mental illness but was given daily injections of narcotics."

"In August The Royal College of Psychiatrists sponsored a motion to expel China from the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) for using psychiatric facilities to incarcerate political prisoners," the U.S. report added.

Freedom of Speech and Press

The U.S. report identified two aspects of the state-run media that have played a vital role in the persecution of Falun Gong and other targeted groups: "Party and Government continued to control many and, on occasion, all print and broadcast media tightly and used them to propagate the current ideological line," the report says.

Falun Dafa Information Center spokeswoman, Ms. Gail Rachlin, says this dual policy of strict "control" of the media, while at the same time employing it as a distribution channel for propaganda has inflamed the persecution. "Falun Gong practitioners are given no voice in the state-run media," explains Ms. Rachlin, "so the regime can control what people see, hear and read about Falun Gong. At the same time, state-produced propaganda programs that aim to stir up hatred towards Falun Gong are given significant airtime."

The U.S. report stated that, "The Government continued to wage a severe political, propaganda, and police campaign against the Falun Gong."

Ms. Rachlin continues, "It's horrible to have the regime targeting you for persecution, but it's even worse when it uses the media in an attempt to turn the people against you...it has created an environment in China that is just terrifying for anyone who practices Falun Gong."

(Since early 2002, Falun Gong practitioners in China have countered this propaganda by successfully tapping into local television signals to broadcast programs exposing the persecution against Falun Gong in China [ press statement ].)

Freedom of Belief, Peaceful Assembly and Association

Systematic, state-ordered forceful denial of freedom of belief, peaceful assembly and association for Falun Gong practitioners remained severe in China, as the U.S. report indicated: "Since the Government banned the Falun Gong in 1999, mere belief in the discipline, without any outward manifestation of its tenets, has been sufficient grounds for practitioners to receive punishments ranging from loss of employment to imprisonment, and in many cases, to suffer torture and death."

The report went on to say, "...the great majority of [Falun Gong] practitioners were punished without a trial, primarily in the reeducation-through-labor system. Many thousands of persons have been detained in reeducation-through-labor and custody and repatriation camps; others have been confined to psychiatric hospitals."

Of particular concern was the report's citing of special facilities built specifically to target Falun Gong practitioners: "In 2001," the report states, "facilities were established specifically to 'rehabilitate' practitioners who refused to recant their belief voluntarily."

Hong Kong

The U.S. report voiced concerns over apparent pressure from Beijing to restrain Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong.

In particular, the U.S. report cited statements made by Hong Kong's Chief Executive, C.H. Tung publicly slandering the practice.

Also mentioned were a number of incidents aimed at restraining Falun Gong in Hong Kong: "In May 2001, the Government barred the entry into Hong Kong of approximately 100 overseas-based Falun Gong practitioners during President Jiang Zemin's visit...In June 2002, over 90 foreign practitioners were denied entry upon arrival at the Hong Kong international airport."

In March 2002, an obscure zoning law aimed at keeping sidewalks clear of street vendors was used to prosecute 16 Falun Gong practitioners for staging a peaceful sit-in in front of the Chinese government's liaison office in Hong Kong (news). The Falun Gong practitioners began the sit-in days after reports from China emerged that Jiang Zemin had reportedly ordered the deaths of Falun Gong practitioners in Changchun City.

Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong have reported numerous incidents of harassment due to Beijing's pressure on the Hong Kong government.

To view the China section of the U.S. State Department's annual human rights report, go to: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/18239.htm

# # #

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 647 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/

Posting date: 4/5/2003
Original article date: 4/5/2003
Category: News & Media Reports

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