How has Falun Gong been treated?
In July 1999, Falun Gong was officially declared illegal in China. Falun Gong books and tapes were destroyed. Its Web sites were blocked and jammed. The organization believes tens of thousands of practitioners were arrested, beaten up, detained, or sent to psychiatric wards, labor camps and prison. Followers say there were more than 40 documented cases of otherwise healthy practitioners being beaten and tortured to death while in detention. The Chinese government condemned Falun Gong, calling it a notorious cult with an evil political will. It was called a “reactionary political force” that should be destroyed. In January, three more practitioners were sentenced to six years imprisonment and 20 were arrested in Shandong. Other arrests of Falun Gong practitioners In Singapore, 15 Falun Gong activists were arrested on New Year’s Eve. They were charged with illegal assembly and obstructing police.
