PureInsight | June 7, 2004
[PureInsight.org] On May 24, 2004, Falun Gong practitioners held "Persecution Meets Principles" torture enactment and picture exhibit at the Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago to demonstrate the cruel torture methods used on Falun Gong practitioners in China. The torture methods enacted at the exhibit included slave labor, internet restrictions and blocking, forced late-term abortion, forced injection of nerve-damaging drugs, bending and folding practitioners' bodies in unnatural positions for an extended period of time, electric shock torture using cattle prods, human grilling, hanging and beating practitioners, Tiger Bench [1], Death Bed [2], bamboo sticks under fingernails, punitive force-feeding, handcuffing practitioners in uncomfortable positions for an extended amount of time, locking practitioners in small metal cages, dragging practitioners over rough surface, among others. The torture enactment part of the exhibit was designed according to actual photographs of torture and torture illustrations published on ClearWisdom.net. Some of the paintings at the exhibit were drawn by Falun Gong practitioners from China who had suffered from these tortures, and others were drawn based on the descriptions of Falun Gong practitioners who had fled overseas after surviving the tortures.
Dr. Terri Marsh, the lead attorney for Falun Gong practitioners in the class-action lawsuit charging former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin with torture and genocide, said at the press conference at the Federal Plaza, "On May 27, 2004, the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit will decide if former foreign heads of state may use the 'head-of-state' defense, typically limited to sitting heads of state, to shield themselves from civil responsibility for the alleged crimes of torture, genocide and crimes against humanity. To do so would in effect dismantle the framework established by the Nuremberg trials, the international treaties and instruments established in its wake, and remove whatever deterrents they create." "This is a defining moment in U.S. history. We have an opportunity to place ourselves on the right side of history. There is hope that we will rise to the challenge."
After the press conference, more than 2,000 Falun Gong practitioners paraded through downtown Chicago and ended in front of the Chinese Consulate in Chicago, calling for an end to the persecution and exposing Jiang Zemin's torture, genocide and crimes against humanity aimed at Falun Gong practitioners.
Notes:
[1] Tiger Bench: Practitioners are forced to sit on a small iron bench that is approximately 6 inches tall with their knees tied together. With their hands tied behind their backs or sometimes placed on their knees, they are forced to sit straight up and look straight ahead. They are not allowed to turn their heads, close their eyes, talk to anyone or move at all. Several inmates are assigned to watch over the practitioners and force them to remain motionless while sitting on the bench. Usually some hard objects are inserted underneath the practitioners' lower legs or ankles to make it harder for them to tolerate this abuse.
[2] Death Bed: The four limbs of the practitioner are stretched out and tied to the four corners of an icy-cold metal bed. The practitioner cannot move at all. Neither is he allowed to get up to eat, drink, or go to the bathroom. This treatment would last from several hours up to more than a dozen days. This type of cruel torture causes severe damage to the practitioner both mentally and physically.
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2004/5/25/27326.html
