E/CN.4/2000/9 page 52 through exercise and meditation. The authorities reportedly banned the Falun Gong practice in public or private on 22 July 1999, and have accused the group of "engaging in illegal activities, advocating superstition and spreading fallacies", as well as "jeopardizing social stability". Since 20 July 1999, organizers of the group were detained in several cities, including Beijing, Tianjing, Nanchang, Harbin, Changchun, Tai Yuan, Shengyang, Benxi, Xinbin, Hengyang, Qinyuan, Wafangdian, Cangzhou and Shijiazhuang. Many persons have allegedly been beaten at the time of and after their arrest. More specifically, it was reported that Lu Shu Zhen, the mother of the Falun Gong founder, Li Hongzhi, had received death threats on 22 July 1999 from four non-uniformed members of the Chinese State Security Bureau. Her sister, Li Ping, and her children, Li Mai Yi, Li Pao Yuan and Li Pao Man, were also threatened. They reportedly remain under house arrest with constant police surveillance. Since the early morning of 20 July, Li Chang, Ji Lie-wu, Qi Bao Lei (female) and other individuals have reportedly been detained in Beijing. In Dalian, the following men were reportedly arrested: Yu Xiao-de, Li Fang-jun, Yang Chuan-jun, as well as the following women: Guan Shu-Qing, Tang Qiao-yunin, Gao Chun-mei, Yang Li-ying, Tang Qiao-yun. In Shijiazhuang, Duan Rong-xin, Miao Ying-zhi, Wang Hong-bin, Xie Zheng-yuan, Xu Xin-mu, and Feng Xiao-mei (female) were reportedly arrested. Lu Wenjie and Wang Hongbin, two Falun Gong practitioners who were reportedly protesting the arrests at the Governmental Appeal Bureau in Dalian were allegedly beaten by four policemen who forcibly took them to the police station. 231. The Government replied on 7 October 1999 that the Falun Dafa Research Society has not been legally registered: it engages in illegal activities, preaches superstition and heresy, deludes the masses and manufactures disturbances. The Government reported that the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs had determined, in accordance with the Regulations on the registration of public organizations, that the Falun Gong organization was illegal and resolved to ban it. Furthermore, the Chinese public service organs had taken coercive measures against the organization and individuals suspected of using the Falun Dafa Research Society to cause criminal disturbances to public order, who would be brought to justice as the law required. The Government reported that no beatings or ill-treatment had occurred as a result of the coercive measures taken. It reported that allegations of beatings, ill-treatment, torture and house arrests were sheer fabrications unrelated to the facts. 232. In relation to Lu Shuzhen and Li Ping, the Government reported that on 22 July 1999, Beijing municipal security organs visited Li Hongzhi's mother, Lu Shuzhen, and Li Ping to obtain information about Li Hongzhi's circumstances abroad. The Government reported that the meeting was amicable, civilized and law-abiding, and that no restrictive measures of any kind were taken. 233. On 17 August 1999, the Special Rapporteur sent a joint urgent appeal in conjunction with the Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression on behalf of Zulikar Memet, who had reportedly been sentenced to death on 25 July 1999 by the Ili Prefecture Intermediate People's Court, in the Xinjian Uighur Autonomous Region. He was allegedly accused of involvement in "ethnic separatist activities". He reportedly told the court that his confession had been extracted under torture and showed the court the signs of the torture he had allegedly suffered, including finger nails which had been pulled off. His brother, Hemit Memet, as well as eight other unidentified