Jilin Woman Loses Ability to Talk While Serving 6 Years in Prison, Family Suspects Abuse

(Minghui.org) Ms. Jin Min, a 55-year-old resident of Tonghua City, Jilin Province, was arrested on September 11, 2020, after being reported for telling a taxi driver about the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong. She was sentenced to six years and taken to Division 8 of Jilin Province Women’s Prison on August 28, 2022.

Her father called the prison warden and the head of Division 8 multiple times in early September. It was always the same automated message every time he called. The message stated that Ms. Jin was being denied family visits and phone calls, and that anyone who aided her in contacting her family would be punished.

Ms. Jin’s sister went to the prison around November, but no one answered her at the gate. 

Around December 7 or 8, Gao Yang, vice head of Division 8, called Ms. Jin’s niece and said that Ms. Jin suddenly lost the ability to talk. Gao inquired about her medical history and said her family was now allowed to deposit money into her commissary account. Her niece deposited 500 yuan, but it is not clear whether Ms. Jin has ever received the money.

During the phone call, Ms. Jin’s niece also quickly called her daughter, who requested a phone conversation with her mother. Gao said they needed to discuss the request and has not gotten back to her daughter at the time of writing.

This is not the first time that Ms. Jin’s family has been kept in the dark about her situation. She was held at the Jilin City Detention Center for more than two years following her latest arrest, but the authorities never gave her family any update. Her father and sister hired a lawyer to file a complaint with the Jilin Province Procuratorate and eventually learned that she had been transferred to Jilin Province Women’s Prison. 

Now that she cannot talk, Ms. Jin’s family suspects that she has been abused in prison and they are very worried about her situation. 

Ms. Jin, who used to work at the Tonghua Steel Mill, has been arrested multiple times since the persecution began in 1999. Prior to her latest sentencing, she was thrice given forced labor and once sentenced to prison. She endured brutal tortures at various detention facilities for a total of eight years. Her suffering is detailed in the related report.

Jilin Province Women’s Prison

Address: Fuying Road, Guojia Village, Lanjia Township, Kuancheng District, Changchun City, Jilin Province, 130114Warden An Tongyu’s email: [e-mail] An Tongyu’s phone: 86+431-85375001Phone numbers: 86+431-85375031, 86+431-85375053, 86+431-85375060Deputy warden in charge of education: Wu Xiaomei (female, in her 50s)Deputy warden Wei Lihui: 86+15312692195, 86+431-85375006Head of Division 8: Qian Wei (female, 86+18504301922)Vice Head of Division 8: Chen Xi (female) and Gao Yang (female, 86+1850430226)

Related Report:After Eight Years of Incarceration, Jilin Woman Sentenced to Six Years for Her Faith