DATE=11/12/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA / FALUN GONG (L-O)
NUMBER=2-256071
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A court in southern China has handed down a stiff
jail sentence to a leader of the outlawed Falun Gong, while
being more lenient on three other followers. V-O-A's
Stephanie Ho reports from Beijing, this was the first trial
for members of the group, since it was branded a cult and
outlawed.
TEXT: Song Yuesheng, Jiang Shilong, Chen Yuan and Liang
Yulin were tried Friday in a court in the southern island
province of Hainan.
Mr. Song was given the most severe jail sentence - 12 years
in prison for escaping from police custody and using what
the court called an evil cult to violate the law. Official
Chinese media have described him as an organizer, schemer
and commander of the Falun Gong in Hainan.
Mr. Song's three co-defendants were sentenced to seven,
three and two years in prison. They were accused of helping
him escape official detention.
The three men and one woman were also charged with defying a
Ministry of Public Security ban on Falun Gong and organizing
many gatherings of adherents. One gathering in a Hainan
park in August reportedly attracted 183 people.
The Chinese government says more than 100 Falun Gong members
have been arrested as part of a nationwide crackdown against
the group. Many more adherents have been subject to various
forms of administrative detention, including labor camp
sentences, which are not determined by judicial processes.
Falun Gong mixes Buddhist and Taoist beliefs with meditation
and traditional breathing exercises that are designed to
harness inner energy and have a healing effect.
Beijing has blamed the spiritual group for the deaths of
about 14-hundred followers who were ill, but refused to seek
medical treatment. It has also accused the group of posing
a threat to the government and the ruling communist party.
China's government last month declared Falun Gong a cult and
has vowed to wipe it out.
Falun Gong's leader, Li Hongzhi, emigrated to the United
States from northeastern China. He has defended his
movement, saying it is apolitical and poses no threat to
communist rule.
China has come under fire from international human rights
groups for its harsh crackdown on Falun Gong. The Hong
Kong-based Information Center of Human Rights and Democratic
Movement in China alleges Chinese police have beaten Falun
Gong members while in custody and that at least six
followers have died as a result of their detention.
The government has acknowledged that three women adherents
have died, but denied it was because of maltreatment.
(signed)
NEB/HO/FC
12-Nov-1999 04:58 AM EDT (12-Nov-1999 0958 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
