Three Falun Gong Practitioners Die from Torture and Abuse in Police Custody
Woman Dies Days after Release from Detention Center
NEW YORK (FDI) — Three Falun Gong practitioners’ deaths have recently been reported by sources in China. Mr. Lan Hu (31), a civil servant in the Pricing Bureau of Lushan District, Jujiang City, Liangxi Province, Mrs. Zhao Baolan (63), wife of a Shengli Oil Field worker in Shandong Province, and Ms. Wang Hong (mid-30s) from Shenyang City, Liangning Province are the latest victims of Jiang Zemin’s campaign of terror against Falun Gong (special report).
Healthy 31 Year-Old Man Who Had “written a letter accusing the top [officials]” Dies in Prison
The police in Luhan District began to monitor Mr. Lan Hu as early as June of 1999 and later detained him for 20 days after the persecution officially began in July of that year.
Police harassment of Mr. Hu was relentless as he endured both a 13-month and 100-day imprisonment over the next few years. Lushan District Police arrested him again in January 2002. He was interrogated in Jiangxi Hotel for 5 days and nights and beaten by policeman Tian Ruhong. Afterward, he was arbitrarily detained in Jiujiang City Detention Center for nearly a year. In December 2002, Lan Hu was slapped with a heavy 11-year sentence that was to be served at Nanchang City Prison.
Mr. Hu was taken directly to jail without any legal procedure, and his family and friends were not allowed to see him during the sentencing. During Mr. Hu’s imprisonment at Nanchang City Prison, he was forced to work for 14-15 hours a day.
Informed of his death on February 9th, 2003, only 68 days after the original sentence, Lu’s family came to the prison to find his body emaciated.
The prison claimed that he had died from failure of his circulatory and respiratory system due to being weakened from a hunger strike beginning on February 6th. However, Lan Hu’s parents had visited him on January 9th and 23rd, and at that time had found him to be in very good health.
The prison mentioned to his mother that Mr. Hu had “written a letter accusing the top [officials],” however the police refused to allow her to examine the letter under the pretense of her also being a Falun Gong practitioner.
Woman Sent Home from Detention Center to Avoid Responsibility for Her Death
Mrs. Zhao Baolan went to Beijing in October of 2001 and was detained in Hekou District Detention Center in Dongying City for two months. During the cold winter days Mrs. Baolan did not have a winter jacket (in China, detainees are responsible for obtaining their own clothing), and her family was prevented from sending her any goods or visiting her, claiming that there was no such person at the detention center. The detention center released Mrs. Zhao Baolan when they saw that she was near death.
Just a few days after being released, Mrs. Zhao Baolan died at home.
Woman with Head and Feet Bound Together for Extended Period Dies
Wang Hong had been detained in the Longshan Labor Camp in Shenyang City, Liangning Province once before, where on two separate occasions she was beaten until she agreed to “transform.”
During her second detention, she was repeatedly shocked with electric batons for approximately 5 hours. Because she refused to “transform,” again, the camp bound her hands at the back of her body and tied her head and feet together.
She was left in this bound state for a long period of time, causing severe blocks in her circulation. Sources say her fact turn pale white with dark blue blotches.
Ms. Hong fell unconscious. After two day’s infusion, she was still not able to urinate.
Ms. Hong was then transferred to the Dabei Jail Management Hospital and died 5 days later.
The exact dates of Ms. Hong’s incarceration and subsequent death are under investigation.