(Clearwisdom.net) We are writing this letter because of the ongoing psychiatric abuse of Falun Gong practitioners as well as of political dissidents in China. China Mental Health Watch is calling on international communities to help stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, which has included physicians and other health care workers.

This persecution -- orchestrated by former Chinese president Jiang Zemin in 1999 -- has affected one hundred million Falun Gong practitioners and their families and has caused a huge public health problem in China. The loss of lives due to torture is likely in the thousands. The exact number of psychiatric casualties is unknown but we know that over one thousand have been involuntarily admitted to psychiatric hospitals to be tortured. In addition, thousands have suffered physically and mentally in detention centers and labor camps, their families have suffered emotionally beyond measure, creating even more health casualties.

According to recent reports, China, which has the largest population in the world, has a large shortage of health care workers. The persecution is affecting this shortage because many medical professionals have been detained and tortured with at least 15 known physicians and health care workers being tortured to death in labor camps (See Appendix I, II, III). In addition, substantial finances have been misused for the purpose of persecution, which may also be contributing to the inadequate health care system becoming one of the biggest social problems. Equally alarming is the fact that an already significant shortage of psychiatric beds is further exacerbated by mentally healthy practitioners being incarcerated in mental institutions to be tortured.

In 1992, Mr. Li Hongzhi introduced to the public Falun Gong, an ancient self-cultivation practice. Because Falun Gong is based on the principle of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance", many practitioners gave up drug and alcohol addictions, put down unhealthy or self-destructive habits, and held themselves to a high moral standard. Dr. Yuhui Hu, an assistant professor of the Department of Economy at Taiwan University, has been studying medical economy for many years. According to a research report by Dr. Hu, practicing Falun Gong can significantly extinguish unhealthy habits. 81% of smokers who started practicing stopped smoking; 77 % achieved abstinence from alcohol, and 85% gave up gambling.

In 1998 a group of diverse medical professionals in China conducted a similar study. They conducted a survey of 12,731 Falun Gong practitioners who lived in five districts in Beijing. The statistical analyses indicated that 99.1% of practitioners showed health improvements, 58.5% were completely cured of their previous illnesses, 80.3% had significantly improved their physical health, and 95.5% had significantly improved their mental health. This study indicated that Falun Gong has significant health care benefits, which contributed to its increasing popularity and, in a matter of six years after its introduction over 100 million people had taken up the practice.

However, in July of 1999, Jiang Zemin banned the practice and initiated the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners seemingly out of his jealousy of its popularity and fear of losing control over the hearts and minds of the people. Since 1999 media and human rights organizations around the world have continuously reported on the Chinese government's cruelty against Falun Gong practitioners, including severe psychiatric abuses. According to incomplete data, about 1,000 healthy Falun Gong practitioners have been forcibly sent to mental institutions including psychiatric hospitals and drug rehabilitation centers. Many were forcibly injected with psychotropic drugs, were tortured with electro-shock therapy equipment, and some were tied up and force-fed for long periods of time. At least 10 practitioners died from this type of maltreatment. Many of these practitioners were held in hospitals for as long as two and half years. Over 100 mental institutions in China participate in this particular form of persecution. The abuse of psychiatry is aimed to break the practitioners' will by destroying the capacity to think clearly, thus disenabling them to exercise the basic human rights of freedom of thought and choice.

Psychiatric associations around the world have expressed great concern about this abuse. In 2002, the World Psychiatric Association (consisting of 120 countries) unanimously passed a resolution in Yokohama, Japan, to send delegates to China to independently investigate. To date the Chinese government has refused to give permission. Meanwhile, new cases of psychiatric abuse continue to occur.

During the past four years, thousands of practitioners have suffered mental abuse, harassment, discrimination, loss of employment, and sometimes being forced into homelessness. Many have been expelled from universities or even high schools. Their families have been forced to pay large amounts of penalties driving them into financial bankruptcy. Female practitioners have been gang raped, beaten and killed. Families have been broken up and many family members have suffered the unending anguish of not knowing the fate of their loved ones. Others face going to the morgue to identify the bodies of their children, siblings or parents murdered by torture because the practitioners would not renounce their beliefs. There is no age discrimination as children have also suffered by being detained with their mothers in detention centers and there is at least one account of a baby being tortured to death as the mother helplessly looked on. Aging parents of practitioners have died from mental anguish upon discovering the death of their children or from living in fear of their own persecution.

"Brainwashing", or re-education classes are another very cruel method of mental torture. Under the direction of Jiang Zemin's "6-10 Office" (a Gestapo-like agency established by Jiang in 1999 with the specific task of "eradicating Falun Gong"), brainwashing classes have been established throughout the country in provinces, cites, counties and work units. Agents forcibly detain and kidnap large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners and use physical torture, threats, sleep deprivation, and forcing them to watch anti-Falun Gong programs that distort the truth or are fabricated to deceive and manipulate their minds. A myriad of abusive physical and mental techniques are used to impair people's thinking and judgment to force them to renounce Falun Gong and sign statements making such renouncements. As a consequence of this systematic persecution, many have become insane.

According to mental health experts' evaluation of Falun Gong practitioners who have been detained and tortured or those people who have lost their spouses, children, and relatives, the persecution has resulted in tremendous mental trauma and some have exhibited psychiatric symptoms of disorders such as Major Depression or Psychosis. Even after they have lived in democratic and free societies for a time, they continue to exhibit symptoms including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with flashbacks, recurrent memories of the trauma, nightmares, disturbed sleep, and avoidance of possible triggers that would bring about emotional pain. This causes significant mental health problems and impairs normal living. According to studies of Jewish survivors of concentration camps this kind of mental trauma can cause life-long harm.

This kind of abuse makes those who have been trained in the medical field and also practice Falun Gong reluctant to return to China for fear of similar persecution and the risk of losing their lives. For example, Dr. Charles Lee, a Chinese doctor and US citizen, has been detained, beaten, and subjected to brainwashing classes because he practices Falun Gong (See Appendix IV).

We sincerely appreciate the WHO's contribution to improving the world's health and prosperity. We hope the WHO can help stop this on-going, large-scale persecution that attacks fundamental human nature and human rights in order to protect international medical ethics. We believe the WHO and the international medical community could have a very unique influence in raising human treatment standards in the situation outlined above.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

China Mental Health Watch

China Mental Health Watch is a new international organization composed of psychiatrists, physicians, lawyers, mental health professionals, hospital staff, and victims of persecution, their families and friends in and outside China.? This is a non-governmental organization whose purpose is to investigate and bring to light the on-going persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, with particular focus on the harmful effects of psychiatric abuse and psychological torture.?This persecution unlike many others in history is aimed directly and indirectly at the human conscience, the mind, and freedom of belief.

Appendix I. Doctors and Health Workers in China Who Have Been Tortured to Death

Appendix II. Some Death Cases as a Result of Persecution

Case 1 Dr. Ma Zhanmei

Dr. Ma Zhanmei, a physician in her 50s and a native of Laiyuan, Hebei Province, died in May 2003 at Baoding Forced Labor Camp in Hebei Province as a result of being force-fed by the head of the female squad, Li Xiuqin, the instructor Yan Qingfen, the guards, Zhang Guohong and Wuwen, and the labor camp doctor, Du.

In the camp, in order to force Dr. Ma to give up her belief in Falun Gong, they severely tortured her. Dr.Ma went on hunger strikes many times to protest the illegal detention and torture. On April 23, 2003, the eighth day of her hunger strike, the police started to force feed her.

The camp doctor, Du, developed a cruel force feeding method whereby the police would cuff a practitioner to a chair, pull her head back and press her body down. Then they firmly squeeze the practitioner's nose, pry open his or her mouth with a knife, and put a folded tube into the mouth. The practitioner's mouth would be filled with blood. It is obvious that their purpose was not to feed, but to suffocate the practitioner, since it would be impossible for the food to go into the stomch and would stick in the mouth. According to practitioners who were tortured this way, they were suffering so much pain that they wanted to die. Du would wait until the practitioner had no strength to struggle and their heart had almost stopped beating, then firmly pressed and released the practitioner's chest several times to let the food drop down the throat. Du would repeat this process six or seven times. Because of the lack of oxygen, the practitioner might develop heart failure. Du would ask, "How do you feel? We will continue again tomorrow."

Due to this brutal force feeding torture, one day in the beginning of May 2003, Dr.Ma rolled on the ground with pain and died. Her face and body were so distorted that her family members could not recogize her. They only identified her by a scar on her face. The camp refused to let the family bring her body back home and they cremated her instead. Afterwards, the camp strictly blocked the news. A reporter called the female squad at Baoding Forced Labor Camp (86-312-2191039) and inquired as to the cause of Dr. Ma's death. The head of the female squad Li Xiuqin did not deny Dr. Ma's death but refused to tell the cause and hung up the phone. As Dr. Ma's family was planning to sue the labor camp, an attorney told them that government orders said that lawyers couldn't defend Falun Gong practitioners. Female practitioner Liu Junge who witnessed how Dr. Ma was tortured to death disappeared and her whereabouts are still unknown.

Case 2. Dr. Nan Chuyin

Dr. Nan Chuyin, a doctor and native of Zhanganmiao Village in Meishan Area of Wanggang Town in Xishui County, Hubei Province, died at the age of 53 as result of the persecution and torture.

Dr. Nan's family of five practices Falun Gong. Dr. Nan Chuyin was detained three times and was sentenced to one year in a labor camp. His younger daughter was sentenced to one and a half years in a labor camp. His son was expelled from the Chongqing Oil Institute and was illegally detained for several months at the Xishui Police Station. His older daughter was arrested and detained three times and his wife was also arrested for practicing Falun Gong exercises publicly.

On July 23 and December 25 of 1999, the police illegally arrested and beat Dr. Nan for practicing Falun Gong exercises at Xishui Square. Police Xia Shousong beat Dr. Nan's head with a flash light. Police officers Yang Jian, Li Xunhua, and Gan Shitao knocked Dr. Nan onto the ground, stepped on his neck, and kicked his head and body. Blood was all over Dr. Nan's face. While he was detained at the No. 18 cell in Xishui First Detention Center, the police let the inmates torture Dr. Nan. After some inmates struck Dr. Nan's abdomen, he passed out on the ground and started to have bloody stools and abdominal edema and also vomited blood. However, the police in the detention center pretended that they did not know. Dr. Nan told other practitioners that he had been beaten almost every day in his cell.

In May 2000, they illegally sentenced Dr. Nan to one year in Huangshi Forced Labor Camp after he had been detained for 6 months. The labor camp refused to accept him because of his age and poor health. However, in July, the county police forcefully sent him to the fifth squad at Huangshi Forced Labor Camp despite his poor health. On September 24, 2000, they transferred him to Shayang Forced Labor Camp. During this one year when he was detained in the various camps, he had been passing bloody stools and had edema from his waist down to his feet. After he was released, he continued to pass and vomit blood. Being a doctor, he understood his condition and told his family members that his liver was damaged from the beating and could not be cured. Despite his condition, the personnel from the police department and the Town of Qingquan repeatedly forced him to write the guarantee statement. They did not allow him to practice Falun Gong and even pressured his family. In February 2001, Dr. Nan finally collapsed and died after vomiting a large amount of blood.

On the day of his funeral, dozens of practitioners attended, but the police illegally interrogated them and even tried to arrest some of them.

Case 3. Dr. Zhou Yurong

Dr. Zhou Yurong, 39 years old, graduated from the Shihezi Medical School in Xinjiang Province, and was a doctor at the 45^th Corps of the 3^rd Division of Xinjiang Production and Construct Group. Her ID number was 653127196302222220.

Dr. Zhou used to suffer from Myasthenia gravis. She couldn't find a cure for her illness in modern medicine. In July 1999, she began practicing Falun Gong and her illness was miraculously cured. In June 2000, Yurong went to Beijing to appeal. After being arrested, she staged a hunger strike to protest. Nine days later, she was released. In July 2001, she was forced to leave home in order to avoid being sent to a brainwashing class. In December 2001, Dr. Zhou again went to Beijing to appeal.

On March 15, 2002, the police from Tacheng City Police Department arrested her and detained her at the department's detention center since July 18. After a nearly 9-month imprisonment, Dr. Zhou who was 1.7 meters tall and weighing 150 pounds was reduced to skin and bones weighing only 67 pounds. She lost control of her bowel and bladder, and all her teeth fell out. It was not until November 28, when the detention center informed Dr. Zhou's husband about her trial on December 2. On December 1, Dr. Zhou's husband brought their 14-year-old son and rushed to Tacheng People's Hospital. In the ward, Dr. Zhou was monitored 24 hours a day by the police. In order to avoid responsibility, on December 2, the police even ordered Yurong's husband to carry her to the courtroom to be tried even though she was near death. At that time, Dr. Zhou was still very clearheaded and defended herself, "I am not guilty. I went to appeal because Falun Gong was wronged."

At about 10:00 a.m. on December 4, Dr. Zhou received the verdict and she was sentenced to 3 years in prison with 4 years on probation. Dr.Zhou insisted on checking out of the hospital. So she was moved to Tacheng Huagong Hotel where she passed away around 1:00 p.m. the same day.

Case 4. Dr. Liu Haibo

Dr. Liu Haibo, male, 34 years old, was a doctor from the Luyuan District Hospital Computed Tomography (CT) Room in Changchun City. On the evening of March 12, 2002, he died from torture at Kuancheng Police Branch in Changchun City.

After July 20, 1999, Dr. Liu Haibo went to Beijing twice to appeal for Falun Dafa. He was illegally sent to Weizigou Forced Labor Camp in Changchun City, and was sentenced to one year of forced labor. Later he was transferred to the Fenjin Forced Labor Camp, and then the Chaoyanggou Forced Labor Camp in Changchun City. Because Dr. Liu was steadfast in his determination to practice Falun Gong, he was brutally tortured and his sentence was extended another 9 months. After being released, Liu still refused to write a statement to quit the practice and was fired from his work.

On the evening of March 11, 2002, seven or eight police officers from Kuancheng District Police Department raided Dr. Liu's home, arrested him, his wife, and a visiting practitioner, and took them to the police station. They also extorted several thousand Yuan in cash, and took other property. At the police department, the police subjected Dr. Liu to ruthless torture. During the interrogation, several police officers simultaneously shocked him with electric batons, attempting to force him to give up Falun Gong. They tortured him until 1 a.m. on March 12, 2002 when Liu's heart stopped beating. Liu was pronounced dead upon being admitted to the 120 Emergency Center. Afterwards, officials from the police department secretly cremated his body and blocked the information about his death. Dr. Liu's family members failed to find any information about him after searching for a year. To this day, the Kuancheng District Police Department still refuses to acknowledge the crime. They transferred one officer, Huo, who was directly involved in the murder, to another place. Dr. Liu Haibo's family members have no place to go for justice.

Case 5. Professor Piao Shigao

Professor Piao Shigao, male, over 60 years old, was a professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the Yanbian University of Yanji City in Jilin Province. Professor Piao was detained at Yanji Detention Center for many months because he was clarifying the truth about Falun Gong to the people. While detained he was tortured and abused. Insiders revealed that Professor Piao was tortured at the Yanji Detention Centre until his body was extremely weak and he died on August 21, 2002.

An authority from the Yanbian University Faculty of Medicine acknowledged that Professor Piao died in jail and his body was cremated. However, police from the Yanji Detention Centre said, "He died when he arrived home." When told that the Faculty of Medicine already proved that Professor Piao died while at the detention center, the police immediately hung up the phone.

http://media.minghui.org/gb/case/piaoshigao08302002.html

Case 6. Ms. Dong Cuifang

Ms. Dong Cuifang, female, 29 years old, was a postgraduate student who worked at a medical school in Beijing. She was from Xinan Town in Yecheng City of Hebei Province.

Since 1999, she had been arrested and beaten numerous times for appealing in Beijing. Even though she had been jailed numerous times at detention centers, this did not move her steadfast belief in Falun Dafa. During 2001 when she was at home, she was harassed many times and was finally forced to leave her home and go to Beijing. Ms Dong Cuifang had been to Tiananmen in Beijing many times to clarify the truth and put up banners. In 2001, Ms Dong Cuifang was reported to the police while handing out materials and clarifying the truth. She was illegally jailed at the Beijing Shunyi Detention Centre for two years and was later transferred to the Beijing Female Labour Re-education Camp at Daxing County. During her detention she was subjected to cruel tortures, which caused her legs to swell and turn purple, and there were a lot of purple-red blood clots below her knees. Her right shoulder muscle was torn from her shoulder bone and there were blue and purple patches everywhere on her body. The sight was pitiable. She was tortured to death on March 19, 2003. When she died, her entire body was covered with visible injuries and there was even a hole in her head.

Her parents asked the Beijing legal department medical center to prove that Ms Dong Cuifang was murdered by the Beijing Female Labour Camp. In the face of hard evidence, the labour camp had to admit that they were responsible to a "certain" degree. Then they put pressure on Ms Dong's parents, asking them to stop the lawsuit and offered a high amount of bribes. They also gave three orders to her parents: 1. Not to be "influenced" by local practitioners and not to be in contact with any practitioners. 2. Not to leak news to the outside and not to tell anyone about the money they received. 3. Not to sue again. This issue will end here.

http://media.minghui.org/gb/case/dongcuifang03282003.html

Case 7. Dr. Li Huiwen

Dr. Li Huiwen, male, 32 years old, was a doctor at the Yangquan Mineral Bureau in Shanxi Province and lived at No. 8 in Unit 2, Bldg 15, Guanxiangtai, Yangquan City, Shanxi Province. On February 26, 2003, Dr. Li died as result of torturous force-feeding at Xindian Forced Labor Camp in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province.

Fifty days after Dr. Li got married, the personal from Yuangquan City Police Department and the city "610 Office" abducted him to a brainwashing center where they tortured him because he refused to give up Falun Gong. He was illegally sentenced to one year in Xindian Forced Labor Camp. In February 2003, after more than 40 days of hunger strike in protesting the persecution, Dr. Li was force-fed and died.

Case 8. Dr. Xiang Xulin

Dr. Xiang Xulin, 56 years old, a doctor lived in East Xinzhou Street in Jin City, Hunan Province, died Heshan Prison on January 6, 2003.

On December 16, 2000, he went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong and to print Falun Gong related materials. He was sentenced to eight years in prison. On January 6, 2003, he was tortured to death in the Heshan Prison. Dr. Xiang's youngest daughter Xiang Yanzhen was illegally sentenced to three years in prison, and his wife was illegally detained for eight months.

Investigation of local agencies including Xinzhou Police Station indicated that these has been strictly blocking the news and afraid of telling the cause of Dr. Xiang's death. The phone to some key agencies were either busy or no answer. In the Town of Xinzhou(86-736-426-3352), the person answering the phone refused to tell the cause of Dr. Xiang's death and kept asking "why should I tell you?! What do you want to do?"

An investigator called the Tongjin City Vice Party Secretary of Politics Law Li Jiangang(736-4222-394). Li answered the phone. Upon hearing the inquiry of Xiang;s death, he said " not sure" and hung up the phone.

Case 9. Mr. Zhang Yunyi

Mr. Zhang Yunyi, in his 30s, was formerly a medical doctor in the Beijing Cooperation of Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital until he passed away in August 2002 due to the persecution by Fujiang Province Police Bureau.

In the summer of 2000, Zhang was illegally sentenced to one year of forced labor because he distributed Falun Dafa truth-clarifying materials. He was imprisoned in Beijing's Tuanhe Forced Labor Camp and suffered various tortures. After he was released, to avoid further persecution, he was forced to leave home and went to Fujian Province.

In August 2002, a number of police officers suddenly broke into Zhang and a few other Beijing practitioners' dwellings in Fuzhou City and took them to Fujiang Province Police Bureau. According to an eyewitness, Zhang Yunyi refused to answer any questions of the police and tried to get away by jumping out of an open window. Unfortunately, he died as a result.

Case 10. Dr. Sun Lianxia

Dr. Sun Lianxia, female, 50 years old, was a native of Dalian City and lived at No..8 of Building 17, 227 complex in Yongping Street in Shahekou District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province. On January 16, 2001, Dr. Sun Lianxia died as result of brutal force-feeding at Dalian City Forced Labor Camp.

Dr. Sun was a doctor at Wu-Jian hospital in Dalian. She once had several illnesses which disappeared after she started to practice Falun Gong. She often said that Falun Gong had given her too much that could not be described by words. In her daily life, she had been following the principle of "truth, compassion, and tolerance. Everyone said that she was a good person.

Case 11. Ms. Zhu Zongxia

Ms. Zhu Zongxia, 51, a former employee of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Co. Affiliated Hospital, lived on Sanli Street, Hefei City, Anhui Province. On May 20, 2003, Ms. Zhu Zongxia was murdered at the Sanli Street Police Station.

On April 2, 2003, the police arrested Ms. Zhu for distributing Falun Gong materials and detained her for 15 days. On the morning of May 20, several police again abducted her and sent her to the Sanli Street Police Station. They beat her after she refused to give the names of other practitioners. Around 12 p.m., Ms. Zhu was pushed from the top of a five-story building and died from the fall.

Investigation shows that the person directly responsible for the persecution was Su Hong, deputy chief of the Sanli Street Police Station. Su Hong is also responsible for the persecution of many other Falun Gong practitioners.

Case 12. Ms. Li Shumin

Ms. Li Shumin, about 30 years old, worked as the head nurse at the Medical Center of the Second Medical College in Tianjin City. In 2001, she was illegally detained at the 5^th Squad in Banqiao Forced Labor Camp in Tianjing City. In mid January 2003, she died after being shocked with several electric batons by the police.

In the labor camp, the police took turns torturing her in order to force her to give up practicing Falun Gong. They only allowed her to sleep for one hour everyday, forced her to do extreme heavy labor, and brutally beat her. In January 2003, the police forced the practitioners to do hard labor running overtime. Dafa practitioners refused to work to protest. The guards resorted to brutality to force practitioners to work. They used multiple electrical batons to shock Ms.Li until they killed her. Her eyes remained open when she died. Her whole body was heavily bruised with blue and dark patches. There was heavy injury on the back of her head, yet the officials indicated that the cause of her death was "sudden death!"

According to an eyewitness account, the prison guards took Ms. Li and another practitioner away for interrogation. The other practitioner was beaten and shocked until becoming unconscious and gave up the protest after regaining consciousness. Ms. Li was beat to death at the scene. In order to cover their crime, the police announced that Ms. Li died of a heart attack and disallowed her family to see her body.

Case 13. Ms. Dai Chunhua

Ms. Dai Chunhua, 33 years old, lived in Lishu County, Siping City, Jilin Province. Ms. Dai worked as a nurse in the county hospital.

On New Year's Day of 2001, Ms. Dai went to Beijing to peacefully appeal, and as a result was arrested and escorted back home. She was further persecuted and was forced to quit her job. In order to avoid being illegally sent to a brainwashing class, Ms. Dai had no choice but to leave home and move frequently to avoid arrest. Remembering that many people in her hometown were still being deceived by slander and did not know about the truth about Falun Gong, Ms. Dai took the risk and returned to Siping City where she used her meager savings to make Falun Gong materials. The police set up a reward for her arrest. Someone reported her to the police. On February 17, 2002, police arrested Ms. Dai and sent her into the Siping City Detention Center. In order to protest the persecution, Ms. Dai started a hunger strike. On March 9, 2002, her family saw her body in a morgue in Siping City. Ms. Dai left her more than 70-year-old mother and an 8-year-old son.

Case 14. Dr. Yu Shuqin

Dr. Yu Shuqin, a former doctor of the County Family Planning Bureau, went to appeal in Beijing in October 1999 and was detained and escorted back by county policeman Zhang Yi and another policeman. On the way back, trying to escape from her captors, she jumped off the train in Haerbing City, Heilongjiang Province and died. The police did not give any explanation about her death.

Appendix III: Persecution Cases

CASE 1: MR. LIN CHENGTAO

Lin Chengtao, 35 years old, was a research scientist at the Basic Medical Science Institute of Peking Union Medical College. Because he refused to give up his belief in Falun Gong, he was tortured to the point of suffering a mental breakdown at the Beijing Tuanhe Labor Camp and has lost his ability to live a normal life.

Lin started to practice Falun Gong in 1993. Within several days of practicing, his symptoms from severe stomach and liver disease disappeared. His work unit did not have to spend a cent on his medical expenses since he practiced Falun Gong. He also tried his best to follow the principle of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance and take fame and personal interests lightly. In 1998, he took part in conducting and writing "The Effects of Falun Gong on Healing and Fitness - A Survey among Practitioners from Beijing"

Since July 20, 1999, he has been persecuted. They have held his salary, confiscated his house, arrested, brainwashed, and tortured him. Lin, his wife, and two-year-old daughter have become homeless. In September 2001, the Beijing police illegally arrested and sentenced him to one and half years to the Tuanhe Labor Camp. In the camp, in order to force him to give up Falun Gong, the police tortured him with various means including brainwashing, locking him in small cells, and shocking him multiple times with charges of up to 30 thousand volts which caused him to have a mental breakdown. Tuanhe Labor Camp has been covering up the truth and blocking the information.

Lin Chengtao's wife, Zhang Xiaojie, was an excellent music teacher in Beijing No.1 Middle School. In 2001, she was abducted to a brainwashing center. She never gave up the practice after undergoing two brainwashing classes for a total of 30 days. She was sent to Beijing Female Forced Labor Camp. Her two-year-old daughter was left behind.

Zip code of the Tuanhe Labor Camp in Daxing County, Beijing City, 102614; Management Office: 86-10-61292590; Director Zhang Jingsheng: 86-10-61294586

Address of Institute of the Basic Medical Science Institute of Peking Union Medical College: 5 Dongdan Santiao, East District, Beijing, 100005

President of Peking Union Medical College: 86-10-65135844

CASE 2: MS. DAN LING

Dan Ling was an Associate Professor in Embryo Teaching and Research at the Basic Medical Science Institute of Peking Union Medical College. She was repeatedly awarded the title of "Excellent Teacher". In July of 1999, her work unit fired her for practicing Falun Gong. On October 13, 1999, she was arrested by the police from the 14^th Section of Beijing Police Department along with Lin Chengtao. Later, she was forced to leave home to avoid the persecution and we do not know her whereabouts.

CASE 3: MR. LIU XIAO

Liu Xiao was an Assistant Professor in Embryo Teaching and Research at the Basic Medical Science Institute of Peking Union Medical College. In July of 1999, his work unit forced him to stop teaching for practicing Falun Gong. On October 13, 1999, he was arrested by the police from the 14^th Section of Beijing Police Department together with Lin Chengtao. In October 2000, the Security Section Chief Zhang Lie in Peking Union Medical College illegally sent Liu to Beijing Police Department where he was detained for one month. After he was released, his work unit fired him. Liu's wife was a doctor at the laboratory of the Beijing Armed Police General Hospital and was forced to retire for practicing Falun Gong in 2001.

CASE 4: MS. ZHANG JINGCHUN

Zhang Jingchun was a technician of biochemical endonucleatidase at the Basic Medical Science Institute of Peking Union Medical College. In 2001, her work unit fired her for practicing Falun Gong.

CASE 5: MS. WANG LAN

Wang Lan was a postgraduate student in Embryo Teaching and Research at the Basic Medical Science Institute of Peking Union Medical College. In September of 2002, she was arrested in Tianjin for "spreading Falun Gong material". We do not know her whereabouts.

CASE 6: WANG GUILAN

Wang Guilan, in her 40s, a native of Shijiazhuang in Hebei Province, was an Associate Professor in Poisoning at Hebei Medical University. They abducted her and detained her at Shijiazhuang First Detention Center.

Wang has left home to avoid the persecution. On October 8, 2001, she sent a Falun Gong VCD to Diao Qingdi, the Party Secretary of Hebei Third Hospital and a former cadre at Hebei Medical University. Diao gladly accepted it and asked her to bring a book to him the next day. However, the next day when Wang arrived, some police officers were waiting and forcefully arrested Wang. They took Wang to a place and cruelly tortured her before sending her to Shijiazhuang First Detention Center. Because Wang was severely injured from the torture and had been on hunger strike without water, the detention center transferred her to Hebei Brainwashing Center. Wang has not been cooperating with this persecution and continued to be on hunger strike in protest.

The responsible people include:

Wu Xing, Party Secretary of Hebei Medical University: 0311-6044121--5532

Wang Zhimin, Party Secretary of the College of Pharmacy in Hebei Medical University: 0311-6044121-5170

Diao Qingdi, the Party Secretary of Hebei Third Hospital: 0311-7027951-2110

CASE 7: MS. SHI XIUZHI

Shi Xiuzhi taught at the College of Pharmacy in Hebei Medical University. On October 30, 2001, the university authority cheated her and illegally abducted her to a brainwashing center.

CASE 8: LIU JUNHUA

Liu Junhua was a doctor and Xie Xianzhi was a teacher at Southwestern Oil College in Nanchong City, Sichuan Province. On July 22, 1999, the local police illegally arrested them for practicing Falun Gong.

CASE 9: TWO TEACHERS

Two teachers at Xianning Medical College in Xianning, Hebei Province were illegally detained at a brainwashing center. In 2001, at the brainwashing center, policeman Xie from the Wenquan District Police Branch swore, kicked, slapped, and forced them to stand for a long period of time. One of the practitioner's head was broken. Xie yelled, "You are no more than a dog should you die."

CASE 10: CHENG

Cheng, a teacher in Shiyan Medical School, was illegally detained in a brainwashing center at Maojian District of Shiyan City, Hubei.

The center was started in December 2, 2000 when over 40 practitioners were detained. By July of 2001, the following Falun Gong practitioners were still imprisoned there illegally, including Liu Mingzhi, Shao Xianmei, Li Zhongxue, Yu Jian, Luo Chenglan, and Luo Qihua and his wife. The practitioners were forced to pay 50 Yuan for the detention everyday. The meals are half-cooked rice and the outer skin of vegetables barely cooked with oil. Over 30 female practitioners were locked in an under ventilated room which was about 30 square meter and had only one exit. The wooden floor and the quilts were damp. They were emaciated and suffered backache and pains in the joints from the torture. They were only allowed to use the toilet in the room at night. During the day, requests of going to the restroom were sometimes denied. The guards claimed "whether I allow you to go or not is my authority." The guards took turn beating practitioners. Some of the guards said "I know you are good people, you will not retaliate for the beating. If you were bad people, I would be afraid of reprisal." Mei and Jiang instructed the security guards to beat practitioners.

CASE 11. WU JUANXIONG

Wu, Yuanxiong, a native of Xia County, Shanxi Province and a postdoctoral student at Hubei Armed Police Hospital, has been illegally imprisoned at the Xiao County Armed Police Military Prison. He was sentenced to one year of forced labor. His term was due in October of 2003, but he is still detained there.

CASE 12: MR. ALEJANDRO CENTURION

Dr. Centurion Alejandro is an American citizen and a Psychiatrist at Stanford University. He was arrested when he was appealing at Tiananmen Square.

CASE 13: STUDENT A FROM JILIN MEDICAL COLLEGE

A was a student at Jilin Medical College of Jilin University (Norman Bethune Medical University). On November 17, 2000, A was abducted to Chaoyanggou Forced Labor Camp in Changchun City, Jilin Province where A was detained for eleven months and was beaten and tortured. He was later dismissed from the.

A has benefited physically and mentally from practicing Falun Gong. A's illness including Neurasthenia and severe arthritis on his knees were cured. The teachers praised A for his/her study and good relationship with his schoolmates.

On July 20, 1999, the police arrested many Falun Gong practitioners. On October 22, 1999, A went to Beijing Appealing Office, was brought back to Changchun and detained for 15 days. The school suspended A for one year. On November 17, 2000, the police from the security section of Changchun Sino-Japan Hospital went to search A's dorm without a permit and confiscated some Falun Gong materials and books. The police from Shenzhen Street Police Station later arrested A and one of his classmate Jin Guangxu and took them to Chaoyanggou Forced Labor Camp. In camp, police Yu Xuewen and Lu Jiusheng ordered inmates to beat A. Inmate Xu Hui beat A's buttock with a wooden board; inmate Chen Hexin beat A's waist, forced A to sit in a very painful position, and tortured him with various means including "passing a wall" and "flying an airplane". On October 18, 2001, A and his classmate were released. However, the school dismissed them and received to issue them any certificate.

The responsible people for the persecution:

Liu Yuan from "610 Office" in Jilin University: 86- 431-5286626 (h); 86-13804306552 (cell)

Bing Guangyi: 86-431-5180083 (h); 86-13620787190 (cell)

Hu Tianhou: 86-431-5292937 (h); 86-13843146115 (cell)

The President of Jilin University Liu Zhongshu, the Party Secretary Wu Boda, the Vice Party Secretary Wang Shoushi

The President of Changchun Sino-Japan Hospital Zhao Jisheng: 86-431-8955288; 86-431-4646414, x5115; the Party Secretary Wang Fenglian: 86-431-8958463, 86-431-4646484-510

CASE 14: MR. LIANG GUIAI

Liang Guiai, 23 years old, from Longkou, Shandong province was a senior student at the Basic Chinese Traditional Medical College of Shandong Chinese Traditional Medical University. He was expelled because he refused to give up his belief in "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance".

On December 12, 1999, Liang practiced exercises at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing, was repatriated to Jinan, Shandong Province and detained at the school's Security Office for 7 days and nights. He was asked to either quit Falun Gong or leave school "voluntarily". The authorities called his parents to come to the school and cheated and intimidated them. After being interrogated and threatened for 7 days and nights, Liang Guiai decided to quit the school. On January 1, 2000, Liang went to Beijing for his second appeal. He was repatriated to Longkou, Shandong. He was beaten mercilessly during the detention and forced to hang himself. He managed to escape from the death. Liang became homeless, destitute, begging around and experiencing humiliation. After suffering for a long time, Liang's appearance has changed beyond recognition. His eyeglasses are gone and his teeth have been knocked out. He has nothing but tattered clothes.

Shandong Chinese Traditional Medical University

Address: 53 Jingshi Road, Jinan City, Zip code: 250014,

President: Wang, Xinglu, Phone: 86-531-2613199

Secretary of School Communist Party Committee, Zhang, Wenping and Zhou, Limin, phone: 86-531-2613003

Basic Chinese Traditional Medical College: 86-531-2613128, Secretary: Shang, Qingxin

The Department of Chinese Traditional Medicine: Bi Jingfeng, tutor;

Youth Corps Committee: Office of Student Affairs: 86-531-2613016; the secretary: Li, Guanghua;

The Director of Security Office Liu Jianmin: 86-531-2613110

CASE 15: MS. CHEN SHENGHUA

Chen Shenghua was a senior student of Lanzhou Chinese Traditional Medical School in Gansu Province. In February of 2001, the police from Haishiwan Police Station arrested her and her mother, Sheng Chunmei, for distributing Falun Gong materials and sent them to Gansu Province Second Forced Labor Camp. Chen was sentenced to one year and her mother was sentenced to two years. Her father went to Beijing to appeal and was sentenced to one and half years to Pingantai Forced Labor Camp in Lanzhou, Gansu Province.

Police participating in the persecution: Zhang, the Chief of Politics and Law Section at Honggu Police Branch and Li Leng, the Vice Director of Haishiwan Police Station

Appendix IV. Cases of Persecution Against American Medical Professionals in China

In china, the medical professionals who practice Falun Gong can not escape the persecution. Those who continue practicing, are laid off, are forced to attend brainwashing classes, or admitted to psychiatric hospital where have been injected with high dosages of psychotropic which have destroyed their central nervous system .

some medical professionals and scholar who practice Falun Gong outside of China are also subject to the persecution when they visit their their country:

Xiaoxu Ling, one of the HIV researcher in University of Alabama in Birmingham, was placed on home arrest for one month. In December 1999, Lili Feng, professor of Baylor Medical College was illegally detained for thirteen days when she visited China. She was made to do forced labor for exportation. She regained freedom as result of great international rescue effort.

In January 2003, US citizen and Chinese physician Charles Lee, former Masachusett General Hospital researcher, was arrested and detained in Guang Zhou Airport upon his arrival. He was detained in Yang Zhou City, JiangSu province, and sentenced to three years in prison. He is presently being detained, tortured and brainwashed in Nanjing prison. He has been violently forced fed multiple times because he protested his illegal detention and abuse. In November 25, 2003, American consulate in Shanghai visited Dr. Charles Lee and he learned how Charles lee was mentally tortured. They have monitor camera for surveilance in his celd and another camera was placed in the room where he is being forced to watch a brainwashing video tape everyday. He's being also forced to attend a 4-5 hours long brainwashing class. Everyday, a especial agent from public security, Shao Gong, spend individual brainwashing sessions with him for 1-3 hours and every night he is forced to watch one hour anti Falun Gong video and another hour of Chinese news broadcast propaganda and other propaganda programs against Falun Gong.