(Minghui.org) The guards in the Lanzhou City First Detention Center often handcuffed and shackled practitioners and tortured them in an attempt to force them to renounce their faith, Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that is persecuted in China.
The guards handcuffed and shackled the practitioners (and some non-practitioners) in unnatural positions for days or weeks. As a result their ligaments and muscles were injured and they were in excruciating pain. Several practitioners have died, been disabled, or suffered a mental collapse after being subjected to these tortures. The victims’ family members have filed a lawsuit against the detention center, and an official investigation has been launched.
By July 20, 2023, 14 practitioners remained in the Lanzhou City First Detention Center: Ms. Zhang Ping, Ms. Jin Yijun, Ms. Yang Hui, Ms. Wei Zhouxiang, Ms. Xie Guifang, Ms. Zhou Yuezhen, Ms. Cui Chengxiang, Ms. Cui Jianping, Ms. Liu Wanqiu (sent to the detention center on July 5, 2023) and her daughter, Ms. Ma Jun, Ms. Li Ya (sentenced to 4.5 years), Ms. Wang Lin, and Ms. Qi Yulian.
Two practitioners were transferred to Gansu Women’s Prison in early 2023: Ms. Liang Ailing and Ms. Wang Mei. Ms. Liang is retired from Lanzhou General Machinery Plant and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Ms. Wang used to work in the Family Planning Office of Northwest Normal University and was sentenced to three years.
The following are brief summaries of the tortures some practitioners who are currently incarcerated in the detention center, suffered.
“Back Handcuff-to-shackle” Torture
Illustration of “Back Handcuff-to-shackle” torture: The victim’s legs are shackled and her hands and cuffed behind her back. The handcuffs are tied to the shackles with a short chain. The victim is forced to bend over backward and remain in that position around the clock for days or weeks.
Ms. Jin Yijun from Lanzhou City was taken to the detention center on October 2, 2021. She refused to memorize the regulations or squat during roll calls. Li Peng, the head guard of the 14th brigade, gave orders for the “Back Handcuff-to-shackle” torture to be used on her. Her hands were cuffed behind her back and the cuffs were attached to her shackles with a short chain so that she constantly leaned backward while kneeling down.
The torture lasted for 15 days, during which time, the guard ordered the detainees to beat, kick, and pull her hair to prevent her from adjusting her position or closing her eyes. Besides not being allowed to sleep for 15 days, she could not fetch water to clean herself or wash her clothes. Sometimes she was not allowed to drink water.
Ms. Zhang Ping was transferred to the detention center on May 11, 2022, and placed in the isolation brigade. Five days later the head guard used the “Back Handcuff-to-shackle” to torture her because she did the Falun Gong exercises. She stayed in that position for 20 days, during which time she was given little water each day. No detainee was allowed to help her use the bathroom. Because she refused to renounce her faith, she was transferred to another brigade in June, where Li Peng and a collaborator came to torture her.
Ms. Yang Hui from Shanghai was tried by the Lanzhou City Railroad Transport Court and was sentenced to 16 months in March 2023. In April three of her cellmates picked a fight with her and she defended herself by throwing a stool. These cellmates worked with the guards to torture her in order to get better benefits or reduced sentences.
The guard put her on the “Front Handcuff-to-shackle” torture, claiming that Ms. Yang started a fight. This lasted 15 days and she had difficulty using the bathroom. The cellmates verbally abused her, and prevented other cellmates from helping her eat or use the restroom. She suffered the same torture in another brigade because she did the Falun Gong exercises.
“Front Handcuff-to-shackle” Torture
Illustration of “Front Handcuff-to-shackle” torture: The victim has to squat down with her legs shackled. One of her arms has to go underneath one of her legs before the arms are cuffed together. The victim stays in the squat position and she cannot straighten her back or sit down properly.
After 14th Brigade head guard, Li Peng, was transferred to the 13th Brigade, he continued to torture practitioners. He forced every practitioner in the 13th Brigade to squat when they answered the roll call.
Ms. Li Ya from Pingliang City refused to squat and was put on the “Front Handcuff-to-shackle” torture. Because she could only rest on one side of her bottom during the 28 days of torture, her flesh was injured and became infected. She received no medical treatment. Pus seeped from the wound and gave out a foul odor.
Besides torturing practitioners, Li Peng also worked with a detainee, Shi Jianxiu, to torture non-practitioners in the 14th Brigade. Shi reported to Li that a detainee, Liu Yadi, pretended to be sick to avoid her duties. Li then had Liu undergo the “Handcuff-to-shackle” torture. Shi tortured Liu in an isolated room, and 15 days later Liu became mentally unstable.
Liu was quickly transferred to Gansu Women’s Prison, where she was diagnosed with insanity. Inspectors from the prison went to the detention center to find out what happened to Liu. To deflect responsibility, Shi had an inmate testify to the inspectors that Liu was mentally sound before she was transferred to the prison.
Another detainee, Xu Deping, was often put on the “Handcuff-to-shackle” torture and tortured by Shi in an isolated room. Xu died soon after she was transferred to the women’s prison. Before she took her last breath she kept saying Shi’s name.
Shi was released in November 11, 2023 without being held responsible for the tortures and crimes she participated in, in the detention center.
Related report:
The “Back Tandem” Torture at Lanzhou City First Detention Center
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