February 21

AFP Photo

The Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders condemned China's recent jailing of five Falungong members for using the Internet to publicize the abuse of one of the spiritual group's adherents.

The five, including the head of a technology company, were sentenced to between five and 14 years in prison Thursday on charges of "libeling the government" by spreading "fabricated stories" in southwest China's Chongqing city.

The defendants had posted information online about the alleged ill-treatment in prison of a student member of the group, state media had reported.

They are among 22 members of the banned Falungong spiritual group currently behind bars for posting information on the Internet, Reporters Without Borders said in a statement.

The international press freedom organisation also called for the release of all 22 jailed Falungong members.

"The crackdown on members of this spiritual movement is completely unjustified," the organisation said in the statement.

"The five Internet-users were convicted for posting online what is already very well known to human rights organisations, that members of Falungong are systematically tortured in prison."

Lu Zengqi, accused of writing the incriminating document, and Yan Qiuyan, who was said to have helped him, were both sentenced to 10 years in jail. Li Jian, who reportedly posted the article on a site run by the movement, got 13 years.

Chen Shumin, head of the company where Lu worked, was jailed for 14 years. Yin Yan was sentenced to five years though no evidence was given of the part he played.

Other Falungong members have been jailed for creating an Internet site about their group, or simply downloading and spreading news about the movement and repression of its members.

Chinese authorities block access to all sites that refer to the movement and bans discussion of the subject in online discussion forums.

The Falungong, banned as an "[Jiang regime's defamatory word omitted]" by China since 1999, once claimed millions of followers on the mainland but has faced a tough crackdown by the government, which considers it one of the most serious threats to its rule.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/040221/1/3i78h.html