(Minghui.org) The Shenyang City First Prison in Liaoning Province has a 19th Division known as the “High Security Division.” Most of the Falun Gong practitioners taken to this prison are held there and subject to brutal torture for not renouncing their faith. The head of the division has often said to practitioners, “Do you know how many practitioners have died here?”

The prison began to build the High Security Division in 2010, investing over 30 million yuan into the project. After construction finished in 2012, the former warden, Wang Bin, urged the Liaoning Province Prison Administration Bureau, Justice Bureau and the 610 Office to have other prisons in the province transfer all Falun Gong practitioners who refused to renounce their faith to his prison and he guaranteed a 100% “transformation” rate for practitioners. As a result, many practitioners, including both Liaoning residents and out-of-towners, were transferred there from prisons across the province.

Torture Method Overview

Torture methods used in the prison include forced-feeding of feces and urine, the tiger bench, prolonged hours of sitting, scalding with boiling water, spraying pepper solution into the eyes, smashing toes with heavy objects, scraping the ribs with hard objects, hanging up by the wrists, forcing the legs into splits, electric shocks including on the genitals, and placing ice cubes on practitioners’ testicles. Many practitioners were also deprived of sleep, not allowed to use the bathroom, and forced to drink water from a toilet.

In addition to the physical torture, practitioners are forced to watch propaganda videos slandering Falun Gong or listen to defamatory audio recordings played at high volume.

Between 2022 and 2024, at least three practitioners were persecuted to death at this prison, including Mr. Di Yongchi, a 69-year-old power plant worker, Mr. Yan Xuguang, and Mr. Liu Dianyuan.

Poor Living Conditions

In the High Security Division, a small cell can hold five to six people, while the big room can detain more than ten people. The room has a big heated bed and a toilet, but no toilet paper is provided. The inmates and practitioners are often forced to sit on hard surfaces for extended periods of time, which causes their buttocks to develop sores. They are often not allowed to wash up or take a shower.

The food is not sufficient and is of bad quality, with only buns and vegetable soup provided. The prison uniforms and bedding are very dirty, smelly, and contain viruses and bacteria. The inmates aren’t allowed to buy new bedding or uniforms, and many have become ill.

The prison guards force the detainees to strip naked in front of the camera. Those who disobey are punished.

Persecution Cases

Held in Solitary Confinement and Pepper Sprayed

Mr. Liu Quanwang, 60, from Huludao City, was held in solitary confinement and beaten. He was also shocked with electric batons and pepper sprayed. Once, he developed a very high fever but was still tortured. He was sent to the hospital when the guards saw that he was dying. His electrocardiogram curve was almost a flatline. The doctor warned the guards that Mr. Liu would die if they continued to torture him. Mr. Liu was taken back to the prison in January 2024.

Torture re-enactment: Shocked with electric batons

When Mr. Liu was held in the 1st Division, the guards instigated the inmates to pour salt onto his food. He protested and was taken to the High Security Division for a long time. He went on a hunger strike and was forced to receive IV drips.

Shocked with Several Electric Batons

Mr. Luan Changhui, 50, from Huludao City, was sent to the High Security Division upon his prison admission. The guard shocked him with several electric batons after pouring cold water on him and putting a black hood over his head. They didn’t stop until the batons were out of power.

On another occasion, two guards shocked Mr. Luan with electric batons simultaneously. Afterwards, an inmate was instructed to monitor him and not allow him to sleep. The guards also threatened him, “This is just the tip of an iceberg. There is even more brutal torture awaiting you.”

In the second half of 2024, the prison ordered all inmates to wear a large sign with their name and inmate ID number on the back of their shirt and then a badge on the front. Mr. Luan refused to wear them and the guard threatened to lock him in solitary confinement. Due to his strong protest, the authorities stopped forcing the practitioners to wear the badge later on.

Liaoning Man Held in High Security Division for Years

Mr. Zhang Renguang, 70, was held in the High Security Division for two years and seven months. When he was taken back to the 1st Division, the guard had him sleep in the upper bunk bed despite his age. He refused to comply and was again sent to the High Security Division.

Not Allowed to Interact With Others

Practitioners were not allowed to interact with others. Mr. Zhang Dongbao, 40, was sent to the High Security Division for sharing an egg with a newly admitted practitioner. Another time, he asked another newly admitted practitioner if he needed any help and was sent to the High Security Division again the next day.

Mr. Jia Jingwen, 70, who was held in 9th Division, was often sent to the High Security Division, including six times in 2024 for a total of nine months. The only “mistake” he had made was to tell other inmates about Falun Gong.

Violation of the Labor Law

Inmates are forced to work overtime. They have to wake up at 5:40 a.m. every day and start working in the workshop at 6:30 a.m. with no rest. They stop work at 6:50 p.m. (some divisions work even later). After work, they have dinner in the cafeteria before going back to the cells at about 8 p.m. They can only go to bed at 9:50 p.m.

There is a saying among the inmates, “We get up earlier than a chicken, go to bed later than a dog, eat worse than a pig, and work harder than an ox.”

Officials from the Supreme People’s Procuratorate went to the prison for an inspection on December 1, 2023. Although they promised to help improve the conditions and reduce the working hours, the food quality became worse and the detainees were forced to work even longer. If they can’t finish the daily quota, they are beaten and not allowed to buy daily necessities. The 1st Division even turned the area around an exit door into a production area, which violated the fire prevention code and contributed to less ventilation in the room.