Mr. Xiaojun Bai, 35, had a Master’s degree in philosophy and was a professor at Northeast Normal University in Jilin Province.

For a year after July 20, 1999, Mr. Bai was illegally detained on numerous occasions because he continued to practice Falun Gong.

In July 2000, he went to Beijing to appeal for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Consequently, he was sentenced to one year of forced labour and was detained at the Weizigou Labour Camp in Changchun City, Jilin Province. Sources familiar with Mr. Bai’s case say he was brutally tortured during his detention. He was also repeatedly and forcefully sent to the Xinglongshan Brainwashing Centre to attend anti-Falun Gong sessions, these sources say.

Most brainwashing centres operate under quotas handed down from superiors in the Communist Party requiring a certain number of practitioners to renounce their faith – what Chinese officials call being “reformed.” Such directives carry fines for officials who fail to meet quota, while at the same time providing no restrictions on the methods used to do so. Consequently, these centres typically utilise extreme methods, such as severe physical and mental torture, in an attempt to “reform” Falun Gong practitioners.

In January 2002, after seven months of extended detention - in addition to his one-year term – Mr. Bai was sent to the Chaoyanggou Labour Camp in Changchun City. After being infected with scabies all over his body from the poor sanitary conditions, the guards ordered the inmates to pour salt water on him to cause severe pain.

By early June 2003, Mr. Bai was so emaciated from torture and abuse in the labour camp that he could no longer stand. He vomited whatever he ate and was so weak that he could not even drink water.

During Mr. Bai’s last month when he was confined to a bed and obviously dying, the labour camp authorities and medical staff refused to send him to a hospital.

Mr. Bai died on July 18, 2003 in the Chaoyanggou Labour Camp.

Mr. Bai’s brother, Bai Shaohua, a graduate from Renmin University of China, has also been detained many times because of his Falun Gong practice. He is currently being detained in Beijing's Tuanhe Labour Camp.

Background

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about), is a practise of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance.” It is a practise 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 practises 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 practised in over 50 countries.

With government estimates of as many as 100 million practising Falun Gong, China’s President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practise 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 practise while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practise it.

The Falun Dafa Information Centre has verified details of 767 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 labour camps, typically without trial.