FDI: Widow of Olympic Torture Victim Sentenced to Three Years for Practicing Falun Gong
Falun
Dafa Information Center(View article as web
page: http://faluninfo.net/article/833/)
New York--The widow of a well-known musician and Falun Gong adherent who
died from abuse in police custody was sentenced by a Beijing court to three
years in prison Tuesday. Ms. Xu Na, 40, an award-winning artist, was sentenced by Beijing's
Chongwen District Court in a hearing that lasted 15 minutes, according to
news reports and sources inside China. Her husband Yu Zhou, a popular folk band member, died in police custody
in February, just eleven days after being detained with Xu at one of many
check-points set up throughout Beijing in an effort to stamp out dissent
before the Olympics. (see London
Times, Amnesty International submission
to United Nations) Xu was charged Tuesday with "using a heretical organization to undermine
implementation of the law," a vague provision of the penal code commonly
used to sentence Falun Gong adherents to prison terms of up to 12 years. (Amnesty
report) At the center of the charges were 53 documents and eight computer disks
of Falun Gong-related material, her lawyer Mr. Cheng Hai told AFP. (news) "Xu Na's sentencing and her husband's death are a stark reminder that
every Falun Gong practitioner, no matter how well-educated,
non-violent, or well-known, is at risk of arrest, imprisonment and
even death in China today." "That a woman could be sentenced to three years in prison for carrying a
few leaflets and practicing her spiritual belief illustrates the fundamental
injustice and arbitrariness of the Chinese legal system under the Communist
Party," says Falun Gong spokesman Erping Zhang. "Xu Na's sentencing and her husband's death are a stark reminder that
every Falun Gong practitioner, no matter how well-educated, non-violent, or
well-known, is at risk of arrest, imprisonment and even death in China
today." Xu's parents were reportedly allowed to attend the hearing, but many
others who wished to observe were denied entry. According to the lawyer Mr.
Cheng, Xu intends to appeal. Xu's sentencing comes as a blow to her family, particularly since she was
only released in 2006 after serving a five-year sentence for having lent her
apartment to Falun Gong adherents traveling to Beijing to appeal to the
authorities for an end to the persecution campaign. While in detention, she
was reportedly subjected to torture, including beatings, sleep deprivation,
forced-feeding, and being tied into uncomfortable positions for hours. Xu is one of over 8,000 Falun Gong practitioners detained during the
months leading up to the Olympics, many of whom remain in custody and face
sentencing to prison or "re-education through labor" camps. (news) The Falun Dafa Information Center is calling on the international
community to:
Founded in 1999, the Falun
Dafa Information Center is a New York-based organization that
documents the rights violations of adherents of Falun Gong (or "Falun Dafa")
taking place in the People's Republic of China. In July of 1999 China's
autocratic Communist Party launched an unlawful campaign of arrests,
violence, and propaganda with the intent of "eradicating" the apolitical
practice; it is believed certain leaders feared the influence of the
practice' 100
million adherents. The campaign has since grown in violence and scope,
with millions
having been detained or sent to forced labor camps. The Center has
verified details of over 3,000 deaths and over 63,000 cases of torture in
custody (reports
/ sources).
Falun Gong is a traditional-style Buddhist "qigong" practice, with roots
in the Chinese heritage of cultivating the mind/body for health and
spiritual growth. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER Contacts: Gail Rachlin (+1 917-757-9780), Levi Browde (+1
646-415-0998), Erping Zhang (+1 646-533-6147), or Joel Chipkar (+1
416-709-8678) Fax: 646-792-3916 Email: contact@faluninfo.net,
Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/
Xu Na, pictured here, was sentenced to three years in
prison. In February, 2008, her husband died in police custody.
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