(Minghui.org) Shortly after Ms. Xie Changchun finished serving a one-year term in the Sichuan Province Women’s Prison on April 19, 2024, she felt sharp pain on the left side of her abdomen. Her skin turned dark and she became emaciated. She passed away four months later on August 12. She was 80. Her family suspected that she was given toxic drugs while in the prison.
At least 21 other Falun Gong practitioners have also died over the years after serving time at the Sichuan Province Women’s Prison, which is used to jail female Falun Gong practitioners in the province who were sentenced for upholding their faith. Formerly known as Chuanxi Women’s Prison and Binjiang Prison, the prison received its current name in 2007 and was relocated to Longquanyi District, Chengdu City from Yaan City in May 2003.
Minghui.org previously reported on the abuse of practitioners at the prison. This report provides additional information.
As soon as a practitioner is admitted to the prison, she is subjected to three months of “strict management” with her monitored by two “helpers” around the clock. The first two months are spent reading and watching materials smearing Falun Gong all day long. She is not allowed to leave her cell and must sign and fingerprint various statements denouncing and renouncing Falun Gong. The third month sees her criticized at public meetings and forced to write weekly thought reports.
The end of the strict management period must be approved by the prison’s supervising agency. Those deemed to have met the “standard” are moved to the next phase dubbed “re-enforcement period” where they are constantly subjected to “re-examination” to see if they are still firm in renouncing Falun Gong. They must also write monthly thought reports until their prison release. After the re-enforcement period, they are assigned to workshops to do hard labor for up to 11 hours a day without pay. Each of them is given a quota based on their age. If they fail to finish their tasks, they are not allowed to purchase additional food or daily necessities such as toilet paper, shampoo, soap and detergent.
All practitioners must also take two tests, one upon admission and another right before release. The tests contain questions attacking Falun Gong and its founder. Those who fail to give the “correct” answers may face further punishment.
Besides practitioners, the prison also brainwashes non-practitioner inmates with hate propaganda against Falun Gong in order to instigate their hatred towards practitioners. Everyone, including both practitioners and non-practitioners, must sign a document dubbed “Ten-Nos” before their release, including: (1) no taking any materials or information out of the prison; (2) no lingering around the prison after release; (3) no setting off firecrackers near the prison; (4) no picking up [newly released inmates] using a motorcade; (5) no holding a grand event [to celebrate the prison release]; (6) no contacting relatives of still detained prisoners; (7) no getting in touch with other released inmates or family members; (8) no contacting still detained prisoners; (9) no petitioning after release; (10) no slandering the prison management or the judicial system.
The prison also issues letters to newly released prisoners’ local judicial bureaus, asking them to keep watch over them. The bureaus in turn require the newly released to sign a five-year agreement, which states that the bureaus would not bother them if there are no inspections from higher-ups, but that they would call to check in on them if there’s any inspections. They promise to just keep records of the phone conversations as proof they have done their job of monitoring the newly released inmates.
At Least 12 Still Jailed
The following 12 practitioners are still being jailed at the time of writing:
Ms. Yuan Qiongxiu, 72 and a former employee of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, is serving a 4-year term.
Ms. Qin Zhengfang, 66, is serving a 3.5-year term.
Ms. Liu Junhua, a retired physician in her 80's, is serving a two-year term.
Ms. Du Yingfen, in her 70s, is serving a 20-month term.
Ms. Deng Deyu, 80 and of Guang’an City, is serving a 1.5-year term.
Ms. Chen Yuqiong (in her 70s and from Yibin City), Ms. Jiang Yiling (in her 70s and from Chengdu City), Ms. Chen Ping (in her 40s and from Nanchong City), Ms. Li Yuhua (from Nanchong City), Ms. Wu Yingshu, Ms. Wu Yurong, and Ms. Li Jun (from Bi County) are serving unknown terms.
Related Report:
Exposing the Torture of Falun Gong Practitioners in Sichuan Province Women’s Prison
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