United Nations: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Right of Everyone to the Enjoyment of the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health [Excerpt]

2 February 2005

9. On 3 February 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent a joint urgent appeal with the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, concerning Tian Xianofei and Cao Jiguang. Mr. Tian, 40 years old, was reportedly detained in Huazi Prison in Liaoyang City, and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment by the Pingshan District Court, allegedly for being a Falun Gong practitioner. According to the information received, Mr. Tian began a hunger strike on 20 July 2003 and was forcibly fed and denied medical treatment. Cao Jiguang, 35 years old, was reportedly detained in Guangyuan Jail in Sichuan Province, serving a five-year sentence, allegedly for being a Falun Gong practitioner. It was reported that during a hunger strike, Cao Jiguang was force fed by the jail's doctor, who inserted a plastic tube into his trachea and pulled it out repeatedly with the apparent intention of hurting him, and that before force-feeding him guards opened his mouth with an instrument, which caused severe injuries inside his mouth.

10. On 30 April 2004, the Special Rapporteur transmitted a joint urgent appeal with the Chairman-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteur on torture, concerning Gong Sheng Liang, aged 51. He was reportedly held in Hongshan Prison, Wuhan City. On 12 April 2004, his relatives visited him and reportedly found him unable to walk; he needed to be carried by four other inmates. It was also reported that he was in a coma for several days following a beating in June 2003 and that his medical condition had since deteriorated. It was alleged that he has been refused medical treatment for his injuries. In view of his state of health, concern was expressed for the physical and mental integrity of Gong Sheng Liang if he did not receive prompt and adequate medical treatment.

11. On 30 April 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent a joint urgent appeal with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, concerning Liu Mei, aged 36, a resident of Donggang City, Liaoning Province. It was reported that Liu Mei was arrested on 9 April 2002 and sentenced to 13 years in prison for producing and distributing materials about Falun Gong. She was reportedly held in Dabei Prison in Shenyang City. On 10 March 2004, a visiting relative reported that Liu Mei, extremely weak and thin, was carried to the visiting room. It was alleged that she had been denied adequate medical attention and her health has reportedly continued to deteriorate. In view of the reported state of her health, concern was expressed for the physical and mental integrity of Liu Mei if she did not receive prompt and adequate medical attention.

12. On 15 July 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent a joint urgent appeal with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women regarding Geng Juying and Su Yanhua. On 25 May 2002, Ms. Geng, a Falun Gong practitioner, was allegedly taken to the Mengzhou police station. She was pregnant at the time. It was alleged that the police officers forcibly gave her an injection to induce an abortion so she could be sent to the Shibalihe Labour Camp. On 15 April 2002 Ms. Su, a resident of Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province, was arrested by local police because she was a Falun Gong practitioner. She was sent to Lianjiangkou Detention Centre and two weeks later transferred to the Jiamusi Labour Camp. She began a hunger strike and it was alleged that she was force-fed milk and salt for seven days. The conditions in Jiamusi Labour Camp were allegedly very unsanitary. By February 2003, Ms. Su had developed scabies. It was alleged that at one point the guards sprayed her with a chemical that caused her severe chest pains and rendered her unable to move her head or hands. Ms. Su was reportedly not released from the labour camp after her term expired and her health remained in a critical condition.

14. In a letter dated 15 October 2004 and sent jointly with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, the Special Rapporteur expressed his concern at reports about the treatment of members of the Falun Gong and other "heretical organizations". Over the past five years, hundreds of cases of alleged violations of the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners have been brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteurs. Many of these allegations have been reported to the Chinese authorities and are reflected in reports of the Special Rapporteurs to the Commission on Human Rights. The Special Rapporteur was concerned that reports of the denial of adequate medical treatment of detained members of "heretical organizations", in particular Falun Gong practitioners, were increasing.

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