NEWS -- Jun. 08, 2003 Falun Dafa Information Center, www.faluninfo.net

NEW YORK (FDI) -- On May 13th, policeman from the Chongqing City Detention Center stripped and raped a female graduate student as other prison inmates looked on, according to sources from Chongqing University in China.

Ms. Wei Xingyan, a 28-year old Chongqing University graduate student, was arrested on May 11th along with a group of other students and teachers for hanging banners and balloons commemorating May 13th, the official anniversary of the introduction of Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong).

According to witnesses, on the evening of May 13th, several policemen took Wei to a cell in Baihelin Detention Center of Shapingba District. There, witnesses say the police officers forced two female inmates to strip her, and one of the uniformed policemen pushed her to the ground and raped her as the other inmates watched.

When Ms. Wei engaged in a hunger strike to protest her treatment, police botched a violent forced-feeding attempt, seriously injuring both her trachea and esophagus, leaving her unable to speak.

On May 22nd, Ms. Wei was transferred to the Southwest Hospital in Chongqing City, her hospital room reportedly watched by plainclothes police from the "610 Office" (about). Several friends attempting to visit Ms. Wei were questioned or threatened with arrest.

A dozen other Falun Gong practitioners from Chongqing University and China Southwest University of Political Science and Law were arrested along with Wei, most of them university staff and students.

When the Falun Dafa Information Center called Chongqing University to investigate this case, the Party Committee (Phone No: 23-65102314), "610 Office" (Phone No: 23-65126496), and security section of the school denied that Wei was a student of the University. A woman in the Chongqing University Graduate School office, who refused to provide her name, also claimed there was no student named Wei Xingyan enrolled in the school. However, another woman representing Southwest University, who also chose to remain nameless, confirmed that Wei Xingyan was indeed a student at Chongqing University.

The Baihelin Detention Center (Phone No: 23-65313586) confirmed that Wei Xingyan had been detained there, that she had started a hunger strike, was force-fed by the policemen of the detention center, and was subsequently "taken away by the policemen of Shapingba Police Substation."

As of today, it is assumed Ms. Wei remains at the Southwest Hospital in Chongqing City. Her condition is unknown.

Chongqing University Party Committee Phone No: +86 23-65102314

Chongqing University 610 Office Phone No: +86 23-65126496

Baihelin Detention Center Phone No: +86 23-65313586

# # #

NEWS -- Jun. 08, 2003

Falun Dafa Information Center, www.faluninfo.net

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about), is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It is a practice that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but it is distinct and separate from other practices such as the religions of Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50 countries.

With government estimates of as many as 100 million practicing Falun Gong, China's President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999 (report), fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiang's regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.

The Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of 722 deaths (reports / sources) since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600, while expert sources estimate that figure to be much higher. Hundreds of thousands have been detained, with more than 100,000 being sentenced to forced labor camps, typically without trial.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER -- Gail Rachlin 917-501-4441, Levi Browde 914-720-0963, Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, or Feng Yuan 917-941-1097. Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com, Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/