Mr. Li Jianguo Survives 12 Years of Imprisonment and Torture for His Belief in Falun Gong

Mr. Li Jianguo, 50, was released on November 20th, 2014 after 12 years in prison for distributing Falun Gong flyers.

Mr. Li and seven other Falun Gong practitioners were arrested on November 21st, 2002 for possessing 1,000 flyers and 200 DVDs with information about the persecution of Falun Gong. They all received prison sentences. His wife, also a Falun Gong practitioner, was imprisoned at the same time, leaving their two children homeless.

Mr. Li was first detained in Hulan Detention Centre, where he was subjected to the “flying the airplane” torture. He was also beaten, deprived of sleep, and malnourished. In addition, he was forced to perform 17 hours of labour each day, making matchboxes.

Mr. Li was transferred to Hulan Prison on July 25th, 2003 for the remaining 11 years of his term.

The following is a summary of the abuses he suffered in prison.

Tortured in Hulan Prison

Upon arriving at Hulan Prison, Mr. Li was assigned to the training group for 4 months.

He had to remain standing around the clock for three days. During summer months, he and other prisoners were forced to stand under the baking sun for hours without moving. Guards forced him to do the “half squat,” with one leg kneeling and the other leg in the half squat position for 45 minutes. This was extremely painful.

His daily schedule called for getting up at 5 a.m., performing labour until 11:30 p.m., and memorising prison rules until 1:30 a.m. He fell asleep one day when a guard was talking to him. The guard hit and kicked him before beating him with a meter-long bench.

To keep him awake, guards used the “flying an airplane” torture.

Mr. Li was transferred to the No. 5 Ward four months after his arrival. He had to sit on a “small stool” (another torture device) from morning until 9 p.m. and was beaten and forbidden from talking. He was tortured like this for two months.

Forced Labour

Mr. Li was forced to peel garlic from early morning until 11:30 p.m. The quota for two prisoners was peeling one pot of garlic within 10 minutes. When they didn't meet the quota, their heads would be beaten with with plastic tubes filled with sand.

Mr. Li was forced to make clothing for a number of years. The dusty environment was a health hazard, and prisoners had their meals there, which was a breeding ground for tuberculosis.

Malnutrition

Mr. Li, as well as the prisoners, were given only buns and cabbage soup. They often couldn't eat the meal because of lime limitations.

Prisoners could buy food in the prison commissary for an exorbitant price. During visiting hours, the prisoners' families were shown sample meals in a small cafeteria, consisting of rice and several dishes, including pork. In reality, prisoners rarely were given any meat.

Prisoners Deprived of Hygiene, Infested with Fleas

Mr. Li was given only 60 seconds every 5 hours for toilet visits during the first four months of his imprisonment. The time was controlled by another prisoner.

He was not allowed to take a shower or wash his clothes. He was allowed to wash his face 3 times between July 25th and November 21st, 2003. He had to share two twin beds with 6 prisoners.

Most of the prisoners contracted scabies and were infested with fleas. Guards once forced 300 prisoners to catch two fleas each and store them in a glass jar, to be used to torment those who were “disobedient.”