A week ago today, Chinese authorities arrested UAB AIDS researcher Shean Lin and his wife. Their "crime"? They practice Falun Gong, which blends meditation and physical exercises and aspects of Taoism and Buddhism with the teachings of Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi. Customs officials found Falun Gong materials in their luggage and they were detained immediately. Also a week ago today, the U.S. State Department released its annual report on international religious freedom. The report documents the Chinese government's harsh crackdown against Falun Gong, and makes clear just how serious a situation Shean and his wife face.

"There were numerous credible reports of police involvement in beatings, detention under extremely harsh conditions, torture (including by electric shock and by having hands and feet shackled and linked with crossed steel chains), and other abuses of detained Falun Gong practitioners," the report said. "There are credible reports that estimate at least 24 practitioners have died while in police custody since July 1999." The Chinese government, which treats Falun Gong as a cult, has sentenced leaders to prison terms of up to 18 years, and members face terms of three to seven years. As many as 5,000 members have been sentenced without trial to up to three years in re-education-through-labor camps, according to the report. Shean's supporters have begun a petition drive to persuade Chinese authorities to allow him and his wife to return to the United States. U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, has contacted the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in China and asked them "to do everything they can to make sure the people are well treated and ... allowed to return to the United States." Shean and his wife never should have been detained in the first place. That they are Chinese citizens instead of U.S. citizens makes it harder to get them out of China, according to Bachus' office. Let's hope the U.S. government can exert whatever pressure it takes to force their release.