Abuse of Falun Gong Practitioners Continues at Heilongjiang Women's Prison

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Abuse of Falun Gong Practitioners Continues at Heilongjiang Women's Prison

March 31, 2018 | By a Minghui correspondent in Heilongjiang Province, China

(Minghui.org) Heilongjiang Women's Prison, located in Harbin City, has been a central facility used to hold Falun Gong practitioners since the communist regime’s persecution of the spiritual practice began in July 1999. More than 1,000 locals have been incarcerated at the prison at one point or another. Many of them have been subjected to various forms of torture and abuse, which continues to this day.

The prison currently holds at least 270 practitioners. This report presents the brutal torture cases of three newly admitted practitioners and the various forms of torture and abuse used against the practitioners.

Three Newly-Admitted Practitioners

Ms. Wang Yanqiu

Ms. Wang of Acheng District in Harbin was arrested and taken to the Heilongjiang Women's Prison on February 7, 2018. Since then, she has been made to sit on a “small stool” every day because she refuses to renounce her faith.

For nearly a month, Ms. Wang was subjected to many concealed forms of torture, such as being forced to hold a toilet roll between her legs while sitting on the small stool. She would be beaten if the toilet roll fell.

As she needed to exert force in order to hold the toilet roll, her whole body ached from the torture. She developed cramps in her hands and feet four times and fell to the ground.

Due to abuse and malnutrition, Ms. Wang’s health declined rapidly. She started to retch violently, leading to a dislocated jaw. She couldn't close her mouth for a few hours and was finally given treatment after the prison chief learned of her condition.

Ms. Wang did not have any visitors during her imprisonment, as her husband, who also practiced Falun Gong, had been persecuted to death at Linzi Labor Camp.

Ms. Chen Jing

Ms. Chen Jing, 40, of Jiamusi was beaten by inmates for three months because she refused to renounce her faith.

Huang Liyan, the leader of the prisoners, led the inmates to deprive Ms. Chen of sleep for 24 hours. Ms. Chen refused to be “transformed,” or made to renounce Falun Gong, and was dragged to a small room to be beaten. Inmates bruised her face and tore her clothing, including her underwear, which they stuffed in her mouth. Huang even pinched Ms. Chen's nipples forcefully.

When Ms. Chen still refused to give in, Huang had other inmates bring a stool so he could sit on Ms. Chen's naked body. Huang told others to pour cold water on Ms. Chen.

One inmate kicked Ms. Chen so hard that she bounced off a wall and developed a hard bump on her back. One inmate told her that if she refused to be “transformed,” Huang would take a brush to her vaginal area. Hearing this, Ms. Chen, who is unmarried, went against her will and signed a guarantee statement to renounce Falun Gong.

Ms. Jiang Xinbo

When Ms. Jiang Xinbo of Jiansanjiang was taken to the prison, she refused to renounce her faith or wear the prisoner uniform. As a result, she had to wear her linen clothing.

Fearing that her actions would spur similar resistance in other prisoners, guards sent her to a cell for new inmates.

Initially, she would shout, “Falun Dafa is good!” Once, four guards ordered the inmates to line up outside the cell. Ms. Jiang, who had a towel stuffed into her mouth, was carried out by the inmates and put in solitary confinement for 15 days, where she was severely abused. She had to be carried out by others when she was released from solitary confinement.

Ms. Jiang was forced to sit on a “small stool” every day and not allowed to contact anyone. She was closely monitored by inmates even when she went to the restroom.

Various Forms of Torture and Abuse

Guards regularly instigated inmates to abuse Falun Gong practitioners. Those who carried out the orders more ruthlessly were given sentence reductions. Two such inmates were Lu Shuhua and Huang Liyan from the 9th ward.

Sitting on Small Stool

When practitioners are first transferred to the prison, their hair is cut extremely short, and they are forced to wear a prisoner uniform. They are then forced to sit on a small stool in an upright position with their hands on their knees.

When one is forced still for a long time on a small stool, which measures 10 mm by 20 mm, it can cause pain, dizziness, and festering sores. The sores could be infested with maggots during summer, and the victims are not allowed to move or pick them out.

Sleep Deprivation

Practitioners are forced to sit on small stools for the first three days from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. If they refuse to renounce their faith, they are deprived of sleep for 24 hours.

They are also forced to watch propaganda videos attacking Falun Gong and its founder, Master Li Hongzhi.

Beatings and Restricted Movement

While other inmates are allowed to walk around and talk freely, practitioners are strictly forbidden from moving about or talking. They also have to follow a strict schedule for going to the restroom and washing.

Those practitioners who were “transformed” against their will are also closely monitored by inmates and could be beaten at any time.

Forced Labor

Practitioners in the prison are made to do forced labor. If they are too weak to do work, they are forced to sit on a small stool.

The laborers are required to complete 1,500 bottle caps every day. When one practitioner in her sixties, Ms. Yu Guihua, could not meet her quota due to her health, she was told to finish 1,000 bottle caps every day and threatened with sleep deprivation.

Contact details of those involved in the persecution:
Sun Jiujie, warden: +86-451-86639099Shi Genghui, assistant warden: +86-451-86639088 (office), +86-138-04541111 (cell)Wang Cao, assistant warden: +86-138-36135666

(More participants in the persecution contact information is available in the original Chinese article.)

Category: Imprisonment & Forced Labor