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【明慧網1999年12月12日】 【編者按】美國地方市、州政府頒發的榮譽獎勵於平常社會的意義究竟為何？於修煉者和特別是於法輪功的意義究竟又是為何？仁者見仁，智者見智，說法各異；有心明眼淨者，也有意亂語雜者。是非有因，善惡有果，只是人在迷中，難以得見。
以下是圍繞最近美國幾個州、市撤消對法輪功褒獎事件的西方媒體報導。是非曲直，人心所向，水落石出時不難一目了然。
史迪文﹒穆福遜
《華盛頓郵報》職業作家
《華盛頓郵報》12月11日第A25頁
美國市長和地方長官經常頒獎，他們並不是每天都收回成命或者為此道歉。
但是，自從中國大使館抱怨已宣布的對法輪功精神運動流亡領袖李洪志的榮譽以來，那正是馬裏蘭地方長官帕里斯﹒格蘭得寧，以及西雅圖、巴爾的摩、三藩市的市長們所做的。
據格蘭得寧辦公室所說，連國務院都參與了此事，為如何撰寫道歉信而提供建議。
道歉的原因：害怕損害地方與中國的貿易關係。後者污辱法輪功為「邪教」並對之進行了取締。
舉例說，在西雅圖，市長保爾﹒斯格爾，這位前港務專員，他的城市是波音公司，微軟公司和農業出口者的家鄉。他「非常清楚我們與中國的貿易額」，一位發言人說道。儘管中國大使李肇星沒有威脅要因與最近的世界貿易組織西雅圖大會形成巧合的「李洪志及法輪功日」復仇，但這位大使「的確非常清楚地表達了他的不滿」，斯格爾的助手克里福德﹒特瑞斯曼說。
法輪功今年在北京的示威激怒了北京，成千上萬的法輪功學員被監禁。這項運動的領袖李洪志現住紐約，他和他的追隨者們已經收集了全美的支持聲明，以及一項呼籲中國「停止鎮壓」「和平、非暴力個人信仰」的國會決議案。法輪功發言人說在西雅圖，1萬2千人在世界貿易組織大會之前在一項支持的請願書上簽了名。
但是斯格爾，當在世貿組織大會的混亂當中受到中國外交使節的對抗時，撤回了榮譽證書。他說他不熟悉這個團體，作為世貿大會的主人，應當避免在「敏感交易和政治問題」中採取立場。
「我希望你能夠向你的政府轉達我為此不合時宜情形的遺憾」，斯格爾11月30日在一封致那位外交使節的懺悔信中寫道。「我向你擔保從來沒有致使中國為難和受辱的意圖。」
11月23日，格蘭得寧辦公室送出了一個類似的信息。「請接受我們最謙卑的最誠摯的道歉，為由獎勵李洪志以榮譽市民證書而引起的誤會，」馬裏蘭聯邦關係辦公室主管依麗莎白﹒派克在一封信中寫道。格蘭得寧新聞秘書密謝爾﹒玻尼說該信曾得到國務院的審議。「我們不想冒犯你或者中華人民共和國的人民。」
一位國務院發言人否認曾給地方或州政府作出道歉當面的指導。在公開場合下，國務院官員譴責了中國對法輪功信徒的行為。
「真是難以置信，」法輪功一位在紐約的發言人張而平（譯音）說道，「這是以向中國的壓力叩首而謀求貿易。」
「這些都是沒有骨氣的行為，」加州議員湯姆﹒蘭托斯從法輪功學員處聽到消息後補充道。
玻尼說派克的信倒了歉，但沒有將榮譽市民實際取消。新澤西議員克里斯﹒史密斯說那是「沒有區別的區別」，並說那是「給中國政府繼續折磨和鎮壓（法輪功）開綠燈」。
中國使館已經在它的網站上宣傳了這些逆轉，稱法輪功為「西雅圖的笑柄」，並說是在引用斯格爾的話說他「為這樣一項粗心的頒獎感到困窘」。
大多數市政及州的獎狀都是在很少思考的情況下應委託人的要求而頒發。昨天格蘭得寧簽發了一項聲明，稱榮譽市民證書是「對來訪者盛情的表示」。他說他到處簽發這種獎狀，少到每週幾個，多到每天幾百個。「榮譽市民」獎並沒有批准任何官方特權，不帶有或暗示任何個人宗教、哲學或政治信仰……的認可，」他說道。因為這種證書沒有政治含義，格蘭特寧補充道，所以沒有理由對其宣告無效。
他還特別提到，馬裏蘭是1634年「由那些逃離鎮壓、尋找宗教自由和解放的人們」建立起來的。「支持寬容的價值觀和原則的人們……總是會在馬裏蘭找到溫暖的歡迎。」
（1999年《華盛頓郵報》版權所有）
新聞室：關於西雅圖市長撤消嘉獎（譯文）
【明慧網1999年12月12日】 【編者按】美國地方市、州政府頒發的榮譽獎勵於普通社會的意義究竟為何？於法輪功的意義究竟又是為何？仁者見仁，智者見智。是非有因，善惡有果，只是人在謎中，難以得見。
以下是圍繞最近美國西雅圖市撤消對法輪功的褒獎事件的一幕。人心向背，自有取捨的依據，然而宇宙中「真善忍」的特性在時時客觀地衡量著一切人和事……
中國駐美國大使說服西雅圖市長，保羅﹒謝爾,撤回一個11月29日對法輪大法及被中國通緝的精神領袖李洪志大師的嘉獎令。（譯文）
上週一，謝爾簽發了一個官方嘉獎令，宣布世界貿易組織會議的那一週為「李洪志和法輪大法日」。法輪大法是法輪功的另一名稱。有關李，他現居住紐約，謝爾鼓勵所有西雅圖市民「和我一起嘉獎這位非凡人物的奉獻和精神」。
來自世界各地的700多名法輪功學員在西雅圖希望促成與中國政府對話。「我們確實認為這件事件非常可悲，」法輪功發言人張而平在市長辦公室撤銷嘉獎的決定得到確認後告訴新聞室。張說，市長辦公室在星期天並沒有通知我們他們的決定。「作為一個由民主選舉而產生的市長竟然屈服於一個正在迫害自己百萬人民的專制政府，實在讓人感到困窘。」
中國在7月22日取締了法輪功並且自那時起逮捕了上萬的修煉者。追隨者申明，這不是宗教，也沒有官方的會員制，但其人員在世界上超過一億人。它源於氣功，是一種傳統的學說，並且包括一些佛教和道教的成分。
在星期一晚上，11月29日，李肇星大使會見了謝爾並且在第二天收到一封市長的表達「歉意」的信，「我的辦公室遷就了一項來自一個西雅圖市民團體的請求。」在由新聞室通過市長辦公室得到的市長的信中提及了中國與美國和西雅圖的重要的經濟關係，西雅圖是波音和IBM公司的基地。
「我希望你向你們政府就此不幸事件轉達我的歉意。」謝爾寫信給中國大使，「我向你保證沒有任何想引起麻煩或者侮辱中國政府和人民的意圖。」
按照中國大使館網站上的說法，大使說，法輪功在嘉獎被取消後給自己留下了一堆「笑料」。中國日報－－中國政府擁有的英文報紙報導說。謝爾告訴李大使，他「為作出這樣一個粗心的嘉獎而尷尬。」市長發言人凱史奧頓告訴新聞室，謝爾並沒有在大使的會見中使用「尷尬」和「粗心」等詞。當問及市長是否向李表達尷尬時，奧頓停頓了一下說，「我想可以公平地說，他後悔簽發了嘉獎。」
中國大使發言人於書寧聲稱，謝爾在大使解釋了甚麼是法輪功後決定取消了嘉獎。（市長）說，這是一個錯誤，因為在他簽發時他並沒有意識到法輪功的性質，邪教，」於告訴新聞室，「所以在他知道了法輪功的性質後決定取消嘉獎。我們為此表示謝意。」但是，市長的國際事務專家奧頓說，他熟悉在中國圍繞法輪功所產生的爭端並且理解這個團體所表達的對人權的關注，但擔心嘉獎的時間。
「主要的問題是，在WTO會議期間簽發這嘉獎不合適，不是我們對待這個團體有不同的印象，而且我們在接待WTO面臨一個非常嚴峻的挑戰，就像你電視中看到的那樣，我們必須在敏感的政治和經濟問題上保持中立。」謝爾正為他處理的在一些場合最終變成暴亂的反WTO抗議示威而招到批評。
訪問西雅圖的法輪功修煉者表達了對市長決定的困惑。「我們沒有政治目的或動機，並且沒有想使政府難堪，」從華盛頓DC來的程丹說，「我們來這裏是為了借此機會向世界人民呼籲，在中國有非常嚴重的危機，許多人因為和平煉功而被投入監獄。」程說，在西雅圖，該團體在不到兩天時間內向關心中國政府針對修煉者濫用職權的人民中徵集到了一萬多個簽名。
超過20位美國的州長和市長已簽發嘉獎令以歡迎法輪功修煉者去他們地區，其中包括芝加哥市長理查德大里和華盛頓DC市長安東尼維廉斯。美國參眾兩院均在11月通過了關於呼籲中國政府停止對法輪功修煉者和宗教信仰者迫害的決議。
生於中國的法輪功發言人張說，作為一個美國公民，他個人為西雅圖市長的決定而感到困窘。「實在難以想像一個民主政府竟然為貿易而屈服於一個共產黨政權的壓力。」
【明慧網1999年12月12日】我和所有學員一樣，自從7、22法輪功被莫須有定為非法組織以後，心裏非常難過，於是產生了到北京反映情況的念頭。
10月9日到了北京以後，聽說上訪辦的門口已經事先安排了全國各地、市的公安警察，「恭候」我們這些上訪的學員。上訪不成我們便與各地的大法弟子在公園等地交流心得體會，沒有給我們的首都北京帶來一絲的干擾。後來我們來到了郊區，就在10月26日晚9時許，正當我們在一起吃飯的時候，有幾個警察闖了進來，自稱是錦州刑警支隊的，見他們全副武裝的樣子，我們心裏非常坦然，因為我們沒有任何不妥之處。
到了風龍賓館以後，把我叫到了「審訊室」，十幾個警察怒視著我。他們問我一個輔導員去那裏了，我說還真的不知道去了哪裏，因為大家都是來去自由、隨心所願的。當他們聽說以前我到過中央電視台和《人民日報》上訪時，對我進行拳打腳踢，接著是一串響亮的耳光。頓時我感到了《紅岩》小說中的渣子洞集中營的情景，以後的情況還證實了我的想法。他們打了幾十個耳光後，見沒有甚麼口供，便把我泡進了水池。我在水裏呆了十幾個小時，
他們逼著我幫他們找人。在這三天裏，我沒吃過一口飯。第四天，他們問我吃點飯不，我對他們的「問候」表示感激，因為他們心裏擔心我會被餓死，回去沒法交差。後來他們找到了其他人，才答應把我轉交到葫蘆島市公安局，臨走前把我的腦袋浸在了水池裏，而後我便昏了過去。後來他們又把我拽了出來，見我昏倒了，他們便將我踹醒，這樣不斷的對我進行了兩個多小時的肉體折磨。直到當地公安局接我，他們這才放人。
回到當地拘留所，我們認為自己沒有觸犯任何國家法律法規，自然就不應該吃這裏的「牢飯」，接著便遭到了四、五個警察的警棍毒打，當我們回到牢房中的時候，發現全身已經變成了紫色，就這樣經過了十四天的非人的監獄生活才放我們出去。
儘管如此，我還是非常幸運的，因為同其他三百名功友比，他們遭到了更加非人的待遇：毒打、火烤、手銬、電棍等各種刑罰。有一部份思想「轉化」的學員寫了保證書，他們覺得一張紙似乎太便宜了，便又罰了每個人2-3千元。
直至目前，錦州被勞動教養的法輪功學員共35名，部份名單如下：
朱英 2年 代立國 3年 王玉賢 2年 石桂凡 2年 尹後梅 3年 單至佳 2年 賀國君 3年 賈經文 3年 吳乃環 2年 王軍 2年 陳鳳珍 2年 馮文廣 3年 崔亞寧 2年半 商鵬 3年 王志非 3年 劉品 2年 馬超 2年等
錦州學員
1999年12月11日
【明慧網一九九九年十二月十二日】 已經不只一次地為中國政府鎮壓法輪功感到悲哀。看到中國政府意圖暗殺法輪功創始人李老師的消息，再一次感到深深的悲哀。
再一次地回想起岳飛精忠報國，卻被殘害至死的故事。難道中國政府真的要背上千載罵名，讓世界人民目睹殘殺忠良的慘劇？
回想起整個鎮壓法輪功的過程，真是荒唐。首先是置千千萬萬法輪功修煉者修煉法輪功後身體狀況得到極大改善、疑難病症完全消失、道德水準得到極大提高的事實於不顧，硬是把正的說成邪的，把編造的罪名強加在法輪功身上。然後便藉著這些不存在的罪名將法輪功打成「邪教」，肆無忌憚地鎮壓。
而被鎮壓的人，又恰恰是社會上的好人。他們以前在單位勤勤懇懇、任勞任怨地工作；如今雖飽受折磨，卻不記不恨，反而以德報怨。
法輪功創始人李老師最冤枉。他「無條件地幫修煉的人們提高人的道德，健康人民的身體，使其社會安定，用健康的身體更好地服務於社會，那不是給當權者造福嗎？」 結果招來的卻是無根據的人身攻擊、謾罵、甚至通緝。
其實，自從七月二十二日以來，李老師就沒有與學員見過面，也沒有對學員說甚麼。廣大學員因為煉法輪功受了益，知道法輪功好，自發地向政府反映情況，也是對社會負責、對人民負責。這些本來都是群眾自發的行為，是愛正義的表現，是好事。可是政府不但予以殘酷鎮壓，而且還想當然地認為：對法輪功創始人暗殺的陰謀得逞後法輪功將面臨崩潰。其實，法輪功的廣泛傳播靠的是真理的力量、善的力量，而並非對某個人的盲目崇拜。真理會被越來越多的人認識而不會崩潰。
李老師諄諄教誨他的學員：「我們現在和將來都不會反對政府。別人可以對我們不好，我們不能對別人不好」。誰知道這至善的教誨招來的竟是殺身之禍。
法輪功遍布全世界三十多個國家和地區。唯獨中國政府將法輪功稱作「邪教」並四方鼓譟，還自稱是「負責任的政府」。好像其他尊重事實、尊重法輪功的政府全都是不負責任的政府似的。中國政府真的以為外國人都那麼傻，自己多重複幾遍謊言就能騙了外國人？其實外國人心裏都很明白。中國官員對謊言的重複只能讓人覺得可笑、可憐、 而又可悲。在中國又何嘗不是如此。俗話說：「群眾的眼睛是雪亮的」。難道老百姓真的會分不清好壞、真假？中國領導人對法輪功的鎮壓只能是使自己喪盡人心而已。
現在，還想到美國來暗殺法輪功創始人李老師。可能是覺得喪失人心還沒有喪夠吧。我無法再說些甚麼了。只想最後再問一問某些領導人和那些殺手：當你們意圖暗殺這樣一位深受全世界千千萬萬人民群眾尊敬的人的時候，你們還有沒有一點良心？你們怎麼下得去手？你們真的想喪盡人心，成為孤家寡人嗎？「善有善報，惡有惡報」，難道你們真的執意不敢相信？
其實，法輪功並不干涉政治，也不想要誰手中的權力。中國政府知錯能改，依然是人民的好政府。中國領導人啊：尊重事實，聽聽群眾的呼聲吧，不能再這樣錯下去了！
北美華人
1999年12月11日
【明慧網1999年12月12日】 中國當局少數人鎮壓法輪功，不僅違法，毫無道理，而且是很殘酷。因為在修煉的人中，有相當一部份是年老體弱多病的，有的患多種嚴重疾病。他（她）們經過修煉法輪功，使身體獲得了健康。有許多人都深感是法輪功救了他（她），是李洪志師父給了他（她）們第二次生命。這些是世人皆知的客觀事實。
然而，當局少數人，為了給自己的罪行塗脂抹粉，肆意貶低法輪功，在廣播、電視和報刊上進行妖言惑眾，說甚麼法輪功怎麼怎麼害人，而他們又如何如何關心挽救練習者了等等，等等。
然而事實就是事實，謊言就是謊言。就以在我們身邊所發生的幾件事，就能充份說明到底誰在害人誰在救人。
T女士，今年64歲，97年得法。得法前身患多種疾病，心臟病尤為嚴重，藥、氧氣瓶不離身，經常要去醫院搶救，生活不能自理。她感到活著不如死了好，其痛苦可想而知。修煉法輪功後不到一週，就把所有的藥停了，身體一天比一天好。時間不長就能騎自行車到處走，而且能做家務照顧人了。誰見了都說是奇蹟。然而，在政府取締法輪功後，她被迫在黨的會議上「檢查」多次過不了關。加上電視的欺騙宣傳，弄得她還真以為自己「上當受騙了」，由此心性掉下來了，功也不煉了，改打太極拳了。可是沒有幾天就發覺自己的身體不好，而且一天不如一天。到醫院她問大夫這病有藥治嗎？大夫回答：「無藥可治」。這下她可涼了。在經過激烈的思想鬥爭後，她決心回頭重新開始修煉法輪功。法輪功畢竟是大法。恢復煉功後，她自己覺得真是一天一個樣，一天好似一天。現在基本上又恢復到了初次得法後的狀況。一次偶然的機會我們碰上了她，她很愧疚的對我們說：「我有罪啊，我對不起師父」，「我後悔自己走了一段彎路，是李老師慈悲，第二次救了我。今後誰再也動搖不了我修煉法輪大法的決心了！」
還有一個W老太太，今年70多了，修煉法輪功三年多，心臟病好了，糖尿病也好了，人也挺精神的。自「7、22」後嚇得她不敢煉功了，心臟病犯了多次，糖尿病「又犯了」，吃開藥了，人也瘦了。有人見了她問她怎樣。她說，「我變成常人了，師父不管我了，把我以前的東西都還給我了。」問她怎麼辦？她說，「我還得煉法輪功，不煉不行」。還有不少像W老太太這樣的人，在壓力下不煉功後發現不行，趕緊回頭繼續修煉大法。
還有的人迫於壓力不煉法輪功後，不但身體日漸衰弱，而且在報銷藥費上也遇到了困難，其慘狀可想而知。
特別值得一提的是一個人稱Q老的人，他近80歲了，是一位久經風霜的老幹部。身體患有多種嚴重疾病，煉法輪功後身體好了。「4、25」後他被迫幾次「檢查」過不了關，逼得老人沒辦法，功也不能煉了，終於舊病復發。在住院期間他經常哭泣說：「我對不起師父，我對不起師父」。不久前，這位老人帶著深深的遺憾與世長辭了。然而，像Q老這樣的悲劇又何止一例！在身邊，在各地，它還在繼續發生著。
以上的事例有力地說明著少數人把法輪功打成邪教，禁止人們煉法輪功是非常不人道的，是不管人民死活的。這些還是發生在城市裏的事。由此不難想像那些身在農村、山區的法輪功的修煉者在禁煉後的命運可能會更加淒慘。
大陸部份大法學員
1999年12月11日
【明慧網1999年12月12日】1999年12月11日
法輪功成員星期六在香港一政府辦公室外演示靜功功法。
香港美聯社報導－－大約600名法輪功學員今天在香港一家北京政府控制的媒體辦公室外舉著手臂、閉著眼睛，在喇叭裏放出的中國絲竹樂的伴奏下舉行了一場煉功活動。
他們想遞交一份致中國國家主席江澤民的公開信，但中國政府控制的新華社香港總部大門緊閉，沒有任何人出來接受信件。
「這不是抗議。」學員發言人闞琿純（譯音）說道。
北京的媒體已經給法輪功貼上了「邪教」的標籤，說他對人民的身心是有害的。大陸當局已經拘禁了成百名中國法輪功成員。
法輪功學員在香港－－中國唯一一個允許法輪功煉功的地方，與來自中國大陸、日本、台灣、澳大利亞、加拿大和歐洲的學員一起舉行了群眾性抗議。
警察說大約有20名警官被配置在新華社辦公室對面的人行道上照看今天的功法演示。
「我們力促中國政府考慮公開對話並消除對法輪功的所有誤解，」闞說。他是一家餐館老闆，煉法輪功已經3年，是將信件放在新華社門階上的15名學員之一。
法輪功將動作緩慢的靜功功法和佛道思想結合在一起。學員們說法輪功增進健康並使人成為好公民。
「法輪功真的是洪水猛獸嗎？」公開信裏寫道，「法輪功真的體現對中國共產黨、國家、社會和人類的危險嗎？」
闞說今年大陸鎮壓以來香港的煉功人數已經減少。儘管香港的領導人保證宗教自由會得到保護，他們擔心北京的控制會在此地加強。
和在水泥地上盤腿打坐的許多其他人一樣，21歲的大學生劉峰（譯音）對北京當局對法輪功如此嚴厲鎮壓感到困惑不解。
曾在中國遭到拘留而後本月初被驅逐出境到香港的法輪功國際成員展示了手臂、胸部的淤傷。他們說法輪功學員在受到大陸警察審問時有時會挨打。
「我不明白中國領導人會那樣。法輪功沒有任何不好的東西，」劉說。為參加星期六的集體煉功，他從愛爾蘭的學校請了18天假。
從都柏林花了14個小時飛來的劉拖著三個箱子參加了集體煉功。他看上去平靜而精力飽滿。他說就為了「讓中國領導人理解法輪功」，這趟旅行很值得。
（美聯社1999年版權所有）
【明慧網1999年12月12日】 國際特赦組織公共文件
Amnesty International, Public document
國際特赦組織目錄：ASA 17/54/99, 1999年10月22日
AI Index: ASA 17/54/99, 22 October 1999
中華人民共和國
PEOPLE~S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
關於折磨和惡意對待法輪功追隨者的報告
REPORTS OF TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT OF FOLLOWERS OF THE FALUN GONG
（以下為英文原文。）
Amnesty International is deeply concerned by reports that detained followers of the Falun Gong have been tortured or ill-treated in various places of detention in China. In early October 1999, one member of the group, a 42 year-old woman, was reportedly beaten to death in police custody in Shandong province. Many followers of the group remain in detention across China and it is feared that they may be at risk of torture or ill-treatment. Many Falun Gong practitioners are middle-aged or elderly people, with a large proportion of women among them.
The Falun Gong - a movement which combines teaching of meditation and breathing exercises as a method to improve one"s health and moral standards - was banned by the Chinese government in July 1999. The government, apparently concerned by the large number of followers in all sectors of society - including government departments, declared it was a "cult" and a "threat to stability" and launched a nationwide propaganda campaign against it. The campaign was described as an important "political struggle". Thousands of Falun Gong followers who attempted to protest peacefully against the ban or who continued to practice exercises were arbitrarily detained across China in the days and weeks which followed the ban. Many were reportedly beaten by police in the process. At least hundreds are believed to remain in detention. Some are now being brought to trial on politically motivated charges. They are likely to be sentenced to long prison terms after unfair trials.
The following are some of the reports of torture and ill-treatment of Falun Gong practitioners received by Amnesty International. Some are accounts of police brutality against people arrested in the immediate aftermath of the ban on the Falun Gong in July 1999. Many other cases have been reported. While in the current climate of repression it is difficult to verify these reports, they contain specific and often detailed information about the places and circumstances in which torture is reported to have occurred, including the names and details of many of the alleged victims, and in some cases their photograph. Most of these reports describe patterns of torture which are known to be common in China. They contain serious allegations which should be impartially investigated. Under the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which China ratified in 1988, China has the obligation to investigate all reports and complaints of torture, bring those responsible for torture to justice and compensate the victims.
While this document focuses on reports concerning the Falun Gong, Amnesty International is also concerned by other recent reports of torture in China, some of which concern Tibetans arrested or imprisoned for political reasons. Amnesty International is particularly concerned by reports of the death due to torture of Tashi Tsering. A 39 year-old Tibetan, Tashi Tsering is reported to have died in early October 1999 of injuries sustained during beatings by People~s Armed Police at the time of his arrest. He had been arrested in Lhasa on 26 August 1999 after trying to replace the Chinese flag by the Tibetan flag in a public place. (For further information, see T.I.N. News Update and TCHRD press release, both of 13 October 1999). Another Tibetan, who had been repeatedly tortured in prison after his arrest in 1996, died earlier this year shortly after he was released from prison "on medical parole" in a critical condition. (See Amnesty International~s "Open Letter to the President of the People~s Republic of China", 27 September 1999, AI Index: ASA 17/50/99).
These recent reports add to a wealth of evidence that torture of criminal or political suspects and convicted prisoners remains widespread in China. While torture is prohibited by Chinese law, the law is routinely ignored, many cases of torture are covered up, and few of those responsible for torture are punished.
THE DEATH OF ZHAO JINHUA:
Zhao Jinhua, female, a 42 year-old farmer from Zhaojia village, Zhangxing county,Shandong province, is reported to have died on 7 October 1999 in a police station of Zhangxing county. A Falun Gong practitioner since 1995, Zhao Jinhua had been taken away by Zhangxing county police on 27 September 1999 while she was working in the fields. While in police custody, she was reportedly put under pressure to renounce her Falun Gong practice and repeatedly beaten with clubs and electric batons when she refused to do so. On 7 October, she was sent twice to the county hospital for emergency recovery, but she was dead before arriving at the hospital the second time. On 11 October 1999, a police spokesman in Zhangxing county confirmed her death but declined to comment on the cause, according to an Agence France Presse report from Beijing on that day.
Unofficial sources report that local police informed Zhao Jinhua"s family of her death on 8 October, warning them not to discuss it. According to the sources, an autopsy carried out on 8 October by medical experts from Zhaoyuan city and Yantai city found that Zhao Jinhua had wounds and haematoma on many parts of the body, except the head. The autopsy report indicated that her death had been caused by beatings with blunt instruments. It appears that the police or other authorities arranged for her body to be Cremated immediately after the autopsy. Her ashes were given back to her family on 9 October. The speed with which the body was cremated suggests that the authorities were trying to cover up the circumstances of her death, as is often the case with deaths in custody in China.
Another Falun Gong practitioner detained in Liaoning province, Zhu Shaolan, reportedly died on 7 October 1999 several days after going on hunger strike to protest at her arbitrary detention. Zhu Shaolan, a 50 year-old woman from Jinzhou city, had been detained on 28 September together with other Falun Gong practitioners who had collected signatures for an appeal to the authorities against the ban on the group. While in police custody, 40 of the detained practitioners reportedly went on hunger strike on 29 September, including Zhu Shaolan. She reportedly soon became very weak and started to vomit after being on hunger strike for four days. On 5 October, police sent her to hospital and she is reported to have died there on the morning of 7 October. As far as is known, there has been no public enquiry into the circumstances of her death.
OTHER REPORTS OF TORTURE:
Most of the allegations cited below come from Falun Gong (FLG) sources in various places in China.
Dalian city, Liaoning province:
In Dalian city, as in other places, groups of FLG practitioners were arrested on various dates in the past three months for appealing against the ban on the FLG or practising FLG exercises in public parks. Many were held for 15 days of "administrative" detention ? a punishment imposed by police under public order regulations. Some were reportedly tortured or ill-treated in police custody. The following cases concern people detained at the Yaojia Detention Centre, located in Nanguanling in Dalian, in late August and September 1999.
Zhang XiaoHong, a 38 year-old woman from Dalian, was arrested on 30 August 1999, when she was practising the exercises in Youjia Village of Shahekou District. She was charged with "disrupting social order by using feudal superstition", served with a 15 day detention order and detained at the Yaojia Detention centre. On 9 September, when she asked permission to do FLG exercises, she was reportedly tied to another practitioner with handcuffs and they had to sit back to back on a hard bench for 23 hours. During that period, they were not allowed to eat, sleep or go to the toilet. When they were untied in the evening of 10 September, they were handcuffed individually with their hands tied behind their back, remaining tied in this fashion until 14 September. During that period, they could lie on their sides but could not sleep, because the handcuffs had automatic tightening devices, and tightened and cut into the skin if they fell asleep. They had to rely on the help of fellow inmates to eat and pass stool. On 14 September, the handcuffs were moved to the front. They were released on 15 September.
Sun Lanfang, a 28 year-old woman from Dalian, who was also detained in September at the Yaojia Detention Centre, is reported to have been tortured because she practised FLG exercises in her cell. She was reportedly shackled in a device known as the "Di Lao" (meaning literally "underground prison"), which includes a pair of handcuffs and foot-shackles, both linked together with crossed steel chains. Such instruments, which make it very difficult and sometimes impossible to walk or sit down, are known to have been used in prisons in various places in China. In Sun Lanfang"s case, the device was reportedly further tied to a steel plate, so that she could not move for about 99 hours.
Zhang Chunqing, a 58 year-old woman from Dalian, was arrested on 3 September 1999 for practicing FLG exercises in a public park and detained for 15 days at the Yaojia Detention Centre for "disturbing public order". While held there, on 5 September, she was reportedly shackled in the "Di Lao" device when she said that she wanted to practice FLG exercises. According to an account she gave after her release, she could not walk with the device and had to crawl back to her cell when it was put on her. She remained shackled in this way for two days and nights and was put in the device again on 9 September when she and other women were found doing the exercises in their cell at night. According to her account, on 10 September, 30 of the women detained were beaten when they started reciting passages from a FLG book. Many of them were handcuffed to window bars in the corridor for many hours, while others were handcuffed in pairs back to back. They were freed from the handcuffs on 11 September.
Sa Yusong, a 36 year-old woman held at the Yaojia Detention Centre in Dalian in September 1999, was reportedly tied with handcuffs to a pipe of the heating system from 11 am on 4 September till 8 am the next day; then she was tied to a window rail until 4 pm on 5 September. Considered by police to be stubborn, she was reportedly handcuffed again with her hands tied behind her back from 9 September until her release on 11 September.
Yi Xingqin, a 34 year-old woman who had also been detained in Dalian on 30 August 1999, was reportedly made to stand up for 21 hours handcuffed to a window rail from 8 to 9 September 1999. She was then tied back to back with another practitioner for about 24 hours on 9-10 September. Following this, she reportedly continued to be handcuffed at night until her release on 15 September.
Yang Xiujian, a 33 year-old woman detained in Dalian on 30 August 1999 and held at the Yaojia detention Centre, was reportedly handcuffed to a window rail on 4 September and made to stand up tied there continuously for about 30 hours, after she told the guard that she wanted to do FLG exercises. As she later repeated the request, on 8 September she was reportedly put in the "Di Lao" device (see above), sitting on bricks in a cell until the evening of 9 September. Her menstrual period started that evening but she was not allowed to change or removed from the "Di Lao" device. Instead, she was reportedly made to walk fast by the guard from one cell to another while wearing the device which poked a hole on her foot. In the evening of 10 September, the "Di Lao" was removed, but she remained handcuffed until she was released.
Zhu Hang, female, an Associate Professor at the Department of Humanity and Social Sciences of Dalian University of Science and Technology, was arrested when practising the FLG exercises in a park on 30 August 1999, charged with "disrupting social order with feudal superstition" and detained at the YaoJia Detention Centre. She too was reportedly tortured by being shackled in a "Di Lao" device in such a way that she could not move. As a result, she was not able to use the toilet or feed herself. She reportedly started fasting because she did not want to make difficulties for other detained practitioners and there was not enough food for everyone. Seven days later, the detaining authorities apparently started to worry about possible "life accidents", and ordered several guards to force feed her by pricking her mouth open with spoons, which caused severe injury in her mouth. Later, they reportedly installed a pipe in her nose to feed liquid in her. She eventually lost consciousness and was sent to the People"s No. 2 Hospital of Dalian City for recovery. Because of the shackles, her left foot had become swollen to almost double its normal size and she had injuries on her right foot. She could not open her mouth properly and had difficulties speaking.
Huang Hongqi, male, a 29 year-old doctorate student from the Dalian Mechanical University in Liaoning province, was taken into police custody with 10 other FLG practitioners on 28 August 1999 for doing exercises in a park in Dalian. He was held without charge for two weeks. In an interview with the news agency Agence France Presse (AFP) after his release, he reported that they were beaten on several occasions in detention. The first time was on 6 September when they did their exercises at night in their cell. "The guards took our trousers down and gave each of us 15 lashes with a leather whip. Our buttocks were covered in blood," he reported to AFP. According to his account, on 12 September, the guards also forced them to take off their shoes and hit them in the face before handcuffing them to a window for hours. Two days later, they were beaten with rubber coshes, he said. He was released after his university intervened (AFP, Beijing, 6 October 1999).
In a separate account which largely confirms the one above, Wang Renguo, male, another FLG practitioner from Dalian who was detained as the same time as Huang Hongqi, reported that he and five other practitioners were beaten with rubber sticks when they tried to talk to the director of the detention centre. They were also slapped on the face with shoes and tied to a window for five hours, he said, while another FLG practitioner held on a different floor was chained for four or five days for doing FLG exercises.
Hunan province:
When the FLG was banned in July 1999, police in Hunan province reportedly enrolled people described by dissident sources as "thugs" into the Joint Defence Teams, to assist in the searches of the numerous FLG teaching centres and practice sites in the province and in the arrest of key FLG members. Many incidents of violence reportedly occurred during the searches and arrests. The following allegations have been made in connection with such incidents: On 22 July in Changsha city, a Special Police Unit of the Changsha Public Security (police) Bureau, escorted by an armed police unit, raided the FLG General Assistance Centre of Hunan Province and reportedly beat and injured all the FLG contact persons present there.
On 24 July in Yueyang city, during a police raid on a publishing company which had printed FLG books, the owner of the company, identified as Mr. Yu Hanxin from Hubei province, allegedly had his legs broken on the spot by a senior officer from the Yueyang Public Security Bureau.
On 25 July in Anhua county, Ms. Li Juhua, a FLG practitioner at the Meicheng Town practice site of Anhua County, was allegedly taken away by the local Joint Defence Team and raped by members of the team, suffering severe mental trauma as a result.
On 25 July in Changde city, Zhou Zhi, male, a FLG practitioner at the practice site of Dingcheng District in Changde City, was allegedly brutally beaten by police when he argued with them while they were searching his home. All his money and other belongings were reportedly taken away by police.
On 26 July in Xiangtan city, Mr. Yang Junhua, the contact person of the FLG Shaoshan practice site in Xiangtan City, was allegedly beaten and injured by members of the No. 7 Joint Defence Team of Xiangtan City.
Changchun city, Jilin province:
In Changchun, FLG practitioners detained in late August 1999 at the Yushu County Detention Centre were allegedly beaten with electric batons, kicked in the stomach, shackled, and forced to swallow dirty water. Details about those reportedly subjected to such treatment are not available. Several hundred FLG practitioners were reportedly still held in various detention centres in Changchun in early October.
Jiaozhou city, Shandong province:
Over 50 FLG practitioners were taken into police custody in Jiaozhou city on 8 September 1999. Some among them were allegedly beaten, deprived of sleep for five days and of food for three days, to dissuade them from appealing to Beijing against the ban on the FLG and force them to "confess" their wrongdoings. Before being released, they were reportedly warned by police against telling others about their treatment in custody.
Some FLG practitioners in Jiaozhou were allegedly sent by police to a mental hospital and held with mental patients. Two of them have been identified as Wei huayu, an employee of the Jiaozhou Accounting Firm, and Tan Guihua, a worker at the Third Shoe Factory of Jiaozhou. Both were allegedly forced to take sedatives in the hospital where they were held for over 20 days.
Beijing municipality:
Many women practitioners of the FLG who had gone to Beijing in August 1999 to appeal to the authorities against the ban on the group, were reported to be detained in late August and September in the women"s section of the Qiliqu Detention Centre, Changping county, Beijing. Some 60 of them reportedly started a hunger strike on 7 September and were punished as a result in the following days. On 9 September, having fasted for two days, some were forced to stand in the burning sun and were reportedly beaten when they could not stand up any more. One woman identified as Ms Zhang Xihong, after ten days on hunger strike, reportedly had her feet and hands chained closely together so that she could only walk bent double. Ten other women were reportedly handcuffed for three days. Others were beaten with belts and various objects, or forced to stay for long periods with their body bent at a 90 degree angle and their arms raised high behind their back. One woman, identified as Ms Guo Fenren, was reportedly beaten on the face with a string of keys until blood covered her face.
Gao Shanshan, a 16 year-old girl from Qiqihaer, in Heilongjiang province, was reportedly detained in Beijing on 24 September 1999 after being denounced to the police for possessing a FLG book. In an appeal which circulated in early October, her mother, Zhou Yingjie, said her daughter had come to Beijing from Qiqihaer on 20 September in order to meet her. Zhou Yingjie was on a visit to Beijing from Japan, where she resides. The mother alleged that the young girl had been ill-treated by police, including by having food in which some unidentified substance was mixed poured down her throat while her hair was being pulled back by a policeman. The appeal indicated that Gao Shanshan was still being arbitrarily detained as of 2 October. It also said that her father, Gao Deyong, a 50 year-old engineer in Qiqihaer and FLG practitioner, had been illegally detained in that city since 23 September 1999.
Amnesty International is calling on the Chinese authorities to launch without delay impartial investigations into the reports of torture and ill-treatment cited in this document and other reports or complaints of torture. It is also calling on the authorities to publicly disclose the results of the investigations, to punish those found responsible for torturing or ill-treating detainees, and to take measures to ensure that people who remain in detention are protected from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
發稿時間：1999年12月12日
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