Mr. Luan Fushen tortured to death

After being at home for 19 days, Luan Fusheng died on April 8, 2007

Mr. Luan Fusheng was 56 years old. He resided in Shijiazhuang, Shanxi Province, and worked in the Shanxi government. In 1995 he started to practice Falun Gong and his severe diabetes and hypertension were cured.

On October 2002, Luan Fusheng was illegally arrested because he printed materials which exposed the persecution of Falun Gong. There were 24 other Falun Gong practitioners who were also taken away at that time.

On July 7, 2003, Luan Fusheng was sentenced to 11 years in prison by the Wanbolin Court in Taiyuan City. He was sent to Cell 13 of the Jinzhong Prison, Shanxi Province in early November 2003.

In Jinzhong Prison, Mr. Luan was tortured both mentally and physically, his health deteriorated. At the end of 2005, his diabetes and hypertension flared. He became very ill and emaciated. It was impossible for him to walk without assistance, and he became short of breath when talking. The first notice of his critical illness was released by the 109th Military Hospital of Taiyuan.

In February 2006, Luan Fusheng suffered from another critical illness. He had complex diabetes syndrome, together with hypertension and pleuritis. He looked like a skeleton, with both legs severely swollen and he could hardly breathe while talking. Mr. Luan was sent to the emergency department of the 109th Military Hospital in Taiyuan. When the second notice of his critical illness was released. Mr. Luan's family repeatedly requested his release but the prison denied all requests, claiming "Falun Gong practitioners are not eligible for medical parole."

On February 3, 2007, during their visit to the prison, Mr. Luan Fusheng's family saw that Mr. Luan was being carried on the back of another prisoner. His health condition appeared to be extremely bad; he could not speak at all. His family requested medical parole again, but a guard told them that the application had been handed to his superiors and there was nothing he could do.

On February 26, 2007, Mr. Luan was sent to the emergency department of the 109th Military Hospital where he was diagnosed again with complex diabetes syndrome and also tuberculosis. On the morning of February 28, 2007, a third notice of critical illness was released by the hospital.

On March 21, 2007, Mr. Luan was so close to death that the prison finally released him from the hospital because they did not want to be held responsible for his death.

However, the authority of the Jinzhong prison did not send Luan Fusheng back home, instead sent him to the Weiming Police Station under the custody of four policemen. The policemen at the Weiming Police Station were so shocked by Mr. Luan's terrible appearance that they took him home directly.

After 19 days at home, Mr. Luan Fusheng passed away.

Posted on November 16, 2007