Spokesman: 3 Falun Gong followers died in suicide attempt
( 2001-07-05 17:14 ) (9 )

Three members of the Falungong cult died and eight others survived after a mass suicide attempt late June at a labour camp in China's northeastern city of Harbin.

The suicide attempt took place on June 21 at the Wanjia reeducation center in the Heilongjiang provincial capital when 11 female practitioners tried to hang themselves with bed sheets.

"This is another tragedy involving obsessed Falungong cult practitioners under the control of (cult ringleader) Li Hongzhi," foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said.

"This shows once again that Falungong is a cult that harms human life," she

said.

Zhang said reports that the detained Falungong cult followers were abused is groundless.

"In accordance with Chinese law, the rights of those under reeducation are protected," she said. "There is no question of persecution and abuse."