1. [Beijing] 40 to 60 Practitioners On Hunger Strike

The family members of some detained practitioners said that about 40 to 60 practitioners are on hunger strike in the Shan-lu-ju Detention center of the Xuan-wu district and another 3 practitioners are to be sentenced.

Some practitioners were even charged with "disturbing social orders" and got detained for 15 days when they practiced Falun Gong quietly outdoors in the evening without any exercise music played. They were also warned that they would be given three years of sentence if they got arrested again for doing Falun Gong exercises.

2. [Beijing] "The Sentence to the Individual Practice Is Lighter."

[The Hong Kong Sun Newspaper] In the morning of March 6, the NPC Conference continued to be held in the People's Auditorium. The delegates appeared a lot relaxed, which might be because the number of journalists became much less. Many delegates were chatting and smoking before they entered the Hall. A delegate opened his two arms and stretched his back at ease. Another delegate made fun of him immediately, "Don't stretch your back like this. The guard might think you are practicing Falun Gong. It is not a minor crime to practice Falun Gong under the national emblem." One more delegate then said, "However, if you are practicing alone, you might be given a lighter sentence than the group practice."

3. [Tangshan] Practitioners Freed After 56 days of Hunger Strike

Two female practitioners detained in the Tangshan women labor camp had been on hunger strike three times. On the third time, they were force-fed every 4 days. 56 days later, the labor camp authorities allowed them to practice Falun Gong. Then they started to have food again.

4. [Henan Province] Home Arrest and Stiff Fine

Practitioners were under home arrest after they were escorted back from Beijing where they petitioned the government on behalf of Falun Gong. The local authorities could not find good excuses to sentence them.

In Zhengzhou City, the capital city of Henan Province, every practitioner under home arrest was required to pay 280 Yuan per day. Later, it was lowered to 180 Yuan per day. They would be detained for one month up to 4 months. They would be beaten up or handcuffed if they continued to practice Falun Gong. After they got released, they would have to pay 2,000 Yuan to the police station and 1,000 Yuan to the local government. These stiff fines have brought more difficulties to practitioners already in the tribulations.

[Notes from translator: In China, the average monthly salary of a worker is around 1,000 Yuan or maybe less.]

5. [Yun-nan Province] A retired teacher was bailed out by her two sons after she was on hunger strike for several days in the Ma-long detention center of Qu-jin City, because the detention center was afraid that she might die from hunger strike, which could draw international condemnation. She might be under home arrest.

6. [Yun-nan Province] Who Is the Future?

In a middle school, students are circulating the Falun Dafa books such as Zhuan Falun privately. A student told me that he had read it out of curiosity, and after he read the books, he found that it was completely different from what was in the state's propaganda. He said that he must practice Falun Gong. It was said that in other places, similar things are also happening.

Category: Accounts of Persecution