Mr. Lu died suddenly June 22, 2009.  His family was told he died of  'heart disease', but they had not been previously informed of any such condition. Unlike many practitioners who have died in custody, his bruised body has not been cremated, and an investigation into the cause of death is still possible.

Ms. Zheng Cuixia died on April 28, 2009 after being subjected to heavy labor, brainwashing and torture at the Hantai District Detention Center.

Mr. Lu Zhen Dies in Custody in Shandong Province Prison

Mr. Lu Zhen, 33, was a college graduate, and lived in Xirulai Village, Mengyin Town, in Mengyin County, Shandong Province. He was arrested in early March 2004 and was subjected to numerous tortures in brainwashing sessions. The forced labor camp rejected him because he did not pass the health check-up. In December 2004, he was illegally sentenced to eleven years in prison and sent to the Shandong Province Prison.

Recently, the Linyi and Mengyin 610 Office spread rumors that Mr. Lu Zhen had mental problems, but they never officially notified his family. He had been brutally abused in prison because he firmly persisted in practicing Falun Gong. On June 22, 2009, his family was notified that Mr. Lu suddenly died in the early morning of June 22, 2009 from heart disease. His body is being stored in the Hospital Affiliated to Shandong Province University. His neck and hip areas have obvious bruises.

Ms. Zheng Cuixia Dies after Being Detained Twice

Ms. Zheng Cuixia, 62 and of Hui ethnicity, lived in Hantai District, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province. She stated to practice Falun Dafa in May of 1999, and many of her illnesses disappeared. She was strict with herself in abiding by the principals of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, wanting to be a highly virtuous person and always thinking of others first.

Ms. Zheng remained a diligent Falun Dafa practitioner after the persecution started on July 20, 1999. At the beginning of March 2000, she went to Beijing to speak out on behalf of the practice. While there she was arrested and detained in Hantai District Detention Center, and her home was ransacked.

In Hantai District Detention Center, section chief Ma Ping'an and guard Men Quanxiu instructed prisoners to torture Ms. Zheng. They cursed at and beat her, did not allow her to sleep, and forced her to stand for a long time. Seeing that she still refused to be brainwashed, guards ordered prisoners in her cell to beat her brutally. They threw her to the floor, kicked her, and stomped on her until she passed out. It was only then that guard Men Quanxiu told them to stop.

Ms. Zheng's injuries were so severe that she could not breath and her life was in danger. Guards had to take her to the 3201st (Military) Hospital, where doctors discovered that her clavicle and ribs were fractured. Still, the guards did not allow her to be treated at the hospital. Ms. Zheng could not stand or walk during those two months.

In order to avoid responsibility and make money at the same time, the detention center sentenced Ms. Zheng to 18 months of forced labor first, and then urged her family to bail her out for medical treatment. She was released after they extorted 3,000 yuan from her family.

Ms. Zheng never fully recovered from that brutal torture after she returned home. She remained very weak, but she did not forget her duty to save those who were deceived. In December 2007, she was reported while handing out truth clarification materials in the suburban Zhaozhuang Township. The arresting officers were Ma Ping'an, Li Youzhi, and Pei Guangming, and they detained her in Hantai District Detention Center. They forced her do heavy labor and subjected her to intense brainwashing. Then they sentenced her to another 18 months of forced labor with probation. Ms. Zheng's health deteriorated steadily, and she died on April 28, 2009.