(Minghui.org) Ms. Liu Zhongmin, a 62-year-old resident of Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province, was arrested two years ago after she was reported for talking to people about Falun Gong. She was sentenced to 3.5 years in Heilongjiang Women’s Prison. It was recently confirmed by Minghui.org that Ms. Liu has been forced to sit on a small stool at the prison.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999. Many practitioners have been working hard to expose the persecution over the years. They often face arrest and imprisonment for doing so.

Sitting on a small stool is a form of torture widely used on Falun Gong practitioners in Chinese prisons. The person must sit with her legs pressed together and hands on her knees. She is not allowed to look around, move, or shift positions for a long time. Other than eating and going to the restroom, she spends the entire day sitting on the stool.

After sitting on the stool for just an hour, discomfort turns to pain. The pain becomes excruciating, like countless arrows piercing the lower body and worms gnawing on the bones. Most victims develop swelling in their limbs and high blood pressure from staying in a fixed position for so long. Some have open, bleeding, festering wounds on their buttocks, while others see their bones protruding or worse.

Ms. Liu has been forced to sit on a small stool from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m for some time now. She had developed festering wounds on her buttocks. She is monitored by other inmates and not allowed to talk.

Details of Arrest and Sentencing

Prior to Ms. Liu’s latest term, she had just finished serving another eight years for her faith. She moved to her daughter’s place in Beijing and was arrested on May 22, 2019, after being reported for talking to people about Falun Gong there.

Officers Niu Bo and Song Dongming took Ms. Liu to the Nanyuan Police Station, tied her to a chair with her hands behind her back, and interrogated her. Afterwards, the police took her to a local detention center, but she was denied admission for not having a physical examination.

The police kept her at the Nanyuan Police Station for 24 hours and deprived her of sleep, without ever loosening her restraints in the chair.

On the afternoon of May 23, Ms. Liu was taken to the Fengtai Detention Center. The guards took her blood samples and photos.

Ms. Liu’s arrest was approved on July 4, 2019. She was indicted by the Fengtai District Procuratorate on September 20, 2019.

Ms. Liu stood trial at the Fengtai District Court on December 10, 2019, and was sentenced to 3.5 years. She was taken back to her hometown and ordered to serve time at the Heilongjiang Women’s Prison.

Related reports:

Once Imprisoned for Eight Years, Heilongjiang Woman Arrested Again for Her Faith in Falun Gong

Ms. Liu Zhongmin Still Detained After Being Arrested Prior to the Olympics

Chinese version available

Category: Accounts of Persecution