Ms. Zhang Lixin's Persecution Experiences in the Jilin Women's Prison

My name is Zhang Lixin and I am 63 years old. I was a doctor at a clinic affiliated with the Linjiang City Paper Mill in Jilin Province. Because I practised Falun Gong, I was sentenced to ten years in October 2002 and detained in the Jilin Women's Prison from November 21st, 2002 up to today.

On the day that I arrived I was tired from travelling, but the prison authorities ordered several inmates to bring me to a small room on the third floor. They told me, "All Falun Gong practitioners who come here must write three statements¹. No sleep is allowed if these are not finished. If you still refuse to write, all prisoners will be forced to do long-term standing with you. You will be beaten and verbally abused by the prisoners until you write all three statements." I patiently told them, "Falun Gong teaches one to cultivate the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, do good deeds and accumulate virtue. It doesn't involve politics at all. Neither is it a heresy. We are innocent. The righteous thoughts and deeds of our Dafa practitioners influence people everywhere. It also has the effect of raising society's moral standards. We are all good for society. Why ask us to write the so-called "three statements"?" They told me that I had an "attitude" and ordered me to stand. I told them that I had health problems and could not stand. They didn't let me go to sleep until midnight.

The next day they used same tactics to keep me awake until midnight. They did the same thing in the room next door to my fellow practitioner He Shurong, who arrived at the prison together with me. She was young and was forced to stand upright for two days. As soon as she fell down, they would pull her up. Her legs were swollen and her eyes had turned red. Then they realised that this method was not working to "transform²" us.

On the third day they indeed forced all the prisoners to accompany us in the standing torture. Some prisoners cried and some swore. Some even beat us because we didn't write the "three statements" and that interfered with their rest and affected their assignments. This started at 7:00 p.m. and lasted until 11:00 p.m. every day. On the second day, I lost consciousness around 10:00 p.m. because of the unbearable humiliation, beating, swearing, and pressure from the prisoners. In addition, we didn't have any rest for four days. The mental torment and physical abuse pushed me to the limit of my endurance.

They sent me to a hospital. I heard the doctor say, "Her blood pressure is so high!" The doctor said I suffered from severe exhaustion and suggested that I rest for several days. On the second day of rest, I witnessed how they tortured fellow practitioner Ms. He Shurong over night. They drove a healthy person to a mental collapse. At first they claimed she was feigning illness. Several criminals gathered round her to pummel her, and then she was dragged to a small cell and detained alone. She continued to shout loudly. She lost consciousness and lost bowel and bladder continence. Only then did they take her to a hospital. They did not admit that they drove her to a mental collapse, but made the absurd claim that, "Studying Falun Dafa made her have cultivation insanity."

On December 8th, 2002, as soon as she arrived at work, Cao Hong who was in charge of persecuting Falun Gong came to the Eighth Squad asking for me. They told her that I still refused to write the "three statements." She ordered Jin Shunhua and several other criminals to her office and criticized them, implying that their "transformation" pressure was not enough. Later I was told to go to her office. She told me, "You must watch yourself and keep a clear mind. You must write the three statements today." Then she angrily left. The next one arriving was Miao Hua, the criminal in charge of the Eighth Squad. She walked directly toward me and punched me right in the chest, saying, "What do you want to do?" She beat me and pushed me. I fell on the floor. She pulled me up and hit me five or six times on the chest and then left.

In the meantime, Jin Shunhua selected several strong criminals. Half of them were juvenile delinquents incarcerated for robbery. They blocked the way, surrounding me. Jin Shunhua handed me some paper and a pen and demanded I write the "three statements." I refused. The criminals punched and kicked me. They pushed me back and forth. They beat me, an elderly woman, until I had become dizzy and saw stars. I became unconscious and fell down.

They pulled me up again and demanded to know whether or not I would write the statements. I still refused. They pushed me again. One of them named Wang Lin, a juvenile delinquent, twisted my left arm behind my back and exerted force on it. My miserable cry could be heard throughout the entire third floor. Jin Shunhua was afraid to endanger my life and ordered her to loosen her grip. The muscles and tendons in my arm were injured and were very sore. Only six months later was I able to move my left arm freely.

Seeing that such suffering still failed to make me give in, Jin Shunhua started to slap my face while grinding her teeth. She said, "You, old woman, don't appreciate our kindness! You don't know what is good for you. You can save yourself from the brutal beating at brigade if you 'transform' here." Prisoners in the Brigade were even more brutal. They beat our private parts where others could not see. Whenever a beating began, the instructor would walk away. Later if one reported to the instructor, he would ask the victim to name the attacker; however, nobody would come forward and be a witness. How could one take off her underwear and show others? Even she did, it was still in vain.

At last they had run out of tactics. It was already noon. Seeing that I still refused to write, Jin Shunhua ordered a prisoner to write the statements for me. When she finished, I was ordered to sign. I refused. They were infuriated and had several people force my arm and hand to sign. I scratched out their so-called "three statements" and did not sign my name. Finally, they transcribed it again. This time they even forged my signature and then claimed I was "transformed" by them. They also threatened me, "Don't tell others!" I told them right away, "That was written by you. It has nothing to do with me."

Those who failed to write the "three statements" were forbidden to see their families. December 5th, 2002 was my 60th birthday. My two daughters travelled all the way from Baishan to celebrate my birthday. The instructor spoke to me and asked, "Do you want to see your girls?" I said yes. She said, "There is a price to pay to see them. You must write the statements otherwise, forget about it."

Even the actual criminals have the right to see their families. Why do we have to pay a price? Which law regulated this? Actual criminals can write statements to upper ranks or to the judicial bureau without any inspection. When we wrote such statements of appeal, we were ordered not to seal them during a session the assistant head had supervised. They said supervisor Tang would have to inspect it before it is mailed out. What inspection right does director Tang have? Which laws apply to her?

The prison officials formulated an implication policy. The instructor's work performance and bonus payments are linked to the number of "transformed" Falun Gong practitioners. Criminals' work points also coincide with the number of "transformed" practitioners. "Transforming" one Falun Gong practitioner can bring a bonus for an instructor and award points to criminals. By using the implication policy, if Falun Gong practitioners didn't obey the unreasonable prison regulations, they would say that we violated the prison regulations and all criminal in the cell would also have points deducted. Thus, afraid of losing self-interest, the prisoners would follow us all the time, even to the toilet. Detaining us in a small cell was done quite often. We were often tied up on a bed in attempt to force us to "transform."

Some Dafa practitioners could not withstand such inhuman torture and humiliation. Some practitioners were forced to go on a protest hunger strike. Some of the ones who died from such gross abuse and mental agony were Yang Guiqin, Yang Guijun and Deng Shiying, etc. The prison authorities didn't take a lesson from their deaths. They are still trying all kinds of methods to forcibly "transform" practitioners.

The above-cited incidents of abuse and mistreatment of Dafa practitioners under this lawless persecution is a severe trampling of the law and of human rights and the freedom of belief. I hope all the kind people in the world will help rescue the persecuted Falun Dafa practitioners in China

Note

1. "Three Statements": Practitioners are coerced under brainwashing and torture to write "Repentance Statement," "Guarantee Statement" or 'Dissociation Statement" as proof that they have given up their belief. In the statement, the practitioner is forced to admit remorse for practising Falun Gong, promise to give up Falun Gong, and never again associate with other practitioners or go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong.

2. "Reform or Transform" Implementation of brainwashing and torture in order to force a practitioner to renounce Falun Gong. (Variations: "reform", "transform", "reformed", "reforming", "transformed", "transforming", and "transformation")

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2006/4/1/124167.htmlv