FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- 1/4/2002 [ http://www.faluninfo.net/ ]

NEW YORK, January 4, 2002 (Falun Dafa Information Center)--Mr. Xuan Deqiong, a 50-year-old man from Taozhu Villiage, Guangxi Province, China, has died due to medical neglect in a detention center in the Qinbei District of China. He was detained in the detention center on December 4, 2000, for practicing Falun Gong.

Due to the poor working conditions and harsh forced labor, Mr. Xuan developed edema in his feet in March, 2001. He requested to be released, but was not permitted. In May, his condition had worsened to the point where his whole body was affected, and he was not able to stand up. He was then sent to a hospital for treatment of edema, but he died after a failed rescue attempt.

"Chinese officials have engineered labor camps to be instruments in the torture and conversion of Falun Gong practitioners who hold firm to their beliefs in Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance," said Mr. Erping Zhang, a spokesperson for the Falun Dafa Information Center. "In fact, criminals and other inmates are often encouraged and rewarded for torturing, beating, and even murdering Falun Gong practitioners in the camps. Denial of medical attention to those detained is so widespread that it usually goes unreported."

Mr. Xuan Deqiong was detained in the No. 2 Qinzhou Detention Center by the Public Security Sub-bureau in the Qinbei District. The detention center refused to answer questions about the case, and referred only to the Public Security Bureau.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER - Contacts: Gail Rachlin 917-501-4441, Adam Montanaro 917-405-4507, Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, or Feng Yuan 646-523-5676. Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com, Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/