(Minghui.org) More than 1,000 people had been held at Heilongjiang Women's Prison at some point since former Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin initiated the persecution of their spiritual belief in Falun Gong.

Ms. Wang Wanzhen, 54, and Ms. Chen Jinlan, 64, were the first two Heilongjiang practitioners sent to the women's prison. They were admitted on June 16, 2001. Since then, there has been a constant inflow of practitioners to this facility. At one time, the imprisoned practitioners accounted for more than a quarter of the total detainees.

At the time of writing, there are still several hundred practitioners detained there. In 2015 alone, more than 20 women were newly admitted to the prison, and many are serving heavy sentences. For instance, Ms. Ding Shihui was given 11 years and sent to prison on July 15, 2015.

The prison has a large scale clothing factory, where practitioners are forced to do manual labor without pay. They are also monitored around the clock. Those who refuse to work or to wear prison uniforms are subjected to various forms of abuse.

Since May 2015, many practitioners who were once held or are still incarcerated at the prison have filed lawsuits against Jiang and hold the former Chinese dictator responsible for their imprisonment and torture.

For example, Ms. Sun Fengjie detailed her ordeal in a criminal complaint against Jiang. She was detained a total of four times since 1999, having spent one year in a labor camp and 13 years in Heilongjiang Women's Prison.

Her two children were still teenagers when she was first arrested, and they were deeply scarred by the loss of care from their mother. Ms. Sun's parents were repeatedly hospitalized due to anxiety stemming from concern for her well being. Her husband struggled to take care of the kids and care for his parents-in-law.

Related reports:Ms. Sun Fengjie Emaciated as a Result of Persecution in Heilongjiang Women's PrisonMs. Sun Fengjie Barbarically Tortured at Heilongjiang Province Women's PrisonThe Persecution of Dafa Practitioners Sun Fengjie and Wang Guanrong at the Jixian County Detention Center