(Minghui.org) At two prisons in Guangdong Province--Beijiang Prison in Shaoguan City and Sihui Prison in Sihui City--many male Falun Gong practitioners imprisoned for their faith are ordered to write statements to renounce Falun Gong and to study Buddhism as a part of the prisons’ brainwashing campaign. Those who resisted brainwashing were beaten, deprived of sleep for extended periods of time, and forced to eat food laced with unknown drugs.
Since the Chinese communist regime began to persecute Falun Gong, an ancient spiritual and meditation discipline, in 1999, a big part of the campaign to eradicate Falun Gong from China is to brainwash the practitioners and crush their faith.
In addition to physical incarceration and torture, the authorities also use a wide range of soft tactics in the spiritual battle, including brainwashing, ordering the practitioners to sign statements to renounce their faith, as well as forcing them to study materials of other religions, including Buddhism.
Brainwashing with Buddhism
The brutal torture, coercion and brainwashing with the theories of communism and atheism had failed to destroy Falun Gong practitioners’ faith during the past years. Guangdong Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Committee, Judicial Department, and Prison Administration Bureau acknowledged it, so they changed their scheme. Suggested by collaborators (former Falun Gong practitioners who have given up their belief), Buddhist teachings were used to shake practitioners’ belief.
The Beijiang Prison spent more than 27,000 yuan in September 2020 for a one-time purchase of books, the majority of them being scriptures of Buddhism. The prison also acquired DVDs of Buddhist teachings from a monastery.
In both Beijiang Prison and Sihui Prison, practitioners were forced to learn Buddhism under intense pressure. Where the brainwashing sessions were held, the walls were covered with Shurangama mantra. Practitioners had to read aloud and recite the Shurangama mantra and Shurangama sutra every day. Anyone who refused to was beaten and the guards pinned the Shurangama mantra stickers on their clothes.
Practitioners were also forced to watch videos about Buddhism and were required to take notes. They had to interpret the Buddhist scriptures and discuss their own understandings.
The Sihui Prison also uses various means to torture practitioners, such as violent beatings, especially on the head, prolonged sleep deprivation, denial of restroom use, sitting on small benches, and not being allowed to speak to others.
Cases of Practitioners Tortured to Death and Disability
Mr. Lai Jiamiao, an entrepreneur from Jiaoling County, Meizhou City, was taken to Beijiang Prison in 2008 to serve a three-year term for practicing Falun Gong. He was persecuted to death there on November 28, 2009. He was 59.
Mr. Huang Yongzhong, of Jieyang City, was taken to the Beijiang Prison on November 20, 2001, to serve a seven-year term. He was placed in solitary confinement, forced to work overtime, deprived of sleep, and given unknown drugs mixed into his food. He was brutally beaten multiple times with bruises all over and even lost consciousness a few times. He was released on the verge of death and passed away some ten days later on July 22, 2006. He was in his 30s.
Mr. He Jingru, a Huizhou City resident serving a five-year term, suffered a broken arm after being beaten in Beijiang Prison at the end of 2012, because he resisted watching videos defaming Falun Gong.
Perpetrators in Charge of Persecuting Practitioners:
Xiao Jiazeng (肖家增), director of Beijiang PrisonHuo Linyin (霍麟胤), guard, Ninth Ward in Beijiang PrisonLi Fei (李飞), guard, 13th Ward in Sihui PrisonXue Ruicong (薛锐聪), guard, 13th Ward in Sihui Prison
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