WASHINGTON, April 1 (AFP) – China shows few signs of abandoning
its harsh policies against the banned Falungong spiritual movement,
and may have succeeded in its attempt to quell the group, the US
government said.
In its annual human rights report, the State Department detailed
the severe methods adopted against the group, which Beijing previous
called the most formidable challenge to its power in a decade.
“Police often used excessive force when detaining peaceful
(Falungong) protesters, including some who were elderly or who were
accompanied by small children,” the report said.
“During the year, there were numerous credible reports of abuse
and even killings of … practitioners by the police and other
security personnel.”
The Falungong movement, which previously claimed millions of
followers in China, was banned as an “[Chinese government’s slanderous words deleted]” in 1999 and has
been the target of a relentless campaign since then.
Over the past four years “thousands of practitioners were
incarcerated in prisons, extrajudicial reeducation-through-labor
camps, psychiatric facilities or special deprogramming centers,” the
report said.
Police were involved in “beatings, detention under extremely
harsh conditions, and torture (including by electric shock and by
having hands and feet shackled and linked with crossed steel
chains),” it said.
The report noted that the Chinese government’s tough line might
have borne fruit, reflected in a marked fall in open protests staged
by group followers.
“Adherents conducted far fewer public demonstrations than in
past years, which some observers attributed to the effectiveness of
the Government’s crackdown,” it said.
However, Falungong followers are not safe from government
persecution even if they refrain from participating in any
demonstrations, according to the report.
“Mere belief in the discipline, without any outward
manifestation of its tenets, has been sufficient grounds for
practitioners to receive punishments ranging from loss of employment
to imprisonment, and in many cases, to suffer torture and death,” it
said.
Posting date: 1/Apr/2003
Original article date: 1/Apr/2003
Category: Media Reports
