Belated News: Imprisoned Man Tortured for His Faith, Dies Months After Being Released on Medical Parole

Mr. Wang Jicheng, a resident of Xi County, Henan Province, was forced to move to neighbouring Huangchuan County after being repeatedly harassed by the police for not renouncing his faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual and meditation practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

He was arrested by officers from Huangchuan Domestic Security Division in April 2014 and sentenced to prison (the term length remains to be investigated).

While serving time at Xinmi Prison in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, Mr. Wang was subjected to savage beatings, verbal abuse, and other mistreatment. The guards forced him to watch propaganda videos defaming Falun Gong. When he refused, the torture was escalated.

Mr. Wang's health deteriorated as a result of the abuse. His condition worsened in early 2015, and he was carried by two inmates to the hospital. Only then was he released on medical parole. His son was given 7,000 yuan of hush money when he tried to hold the prison liable for his father's torture-induced health condition.

Mr. Wang remained in a delirious state upon returning home. He also suffered from constant spasms. He passed away several months later on September 14, 2015. He was 63.

Xinmi Prison Most Notorious in Province for Persecuting Falun Gong Practitioners
Xinmi Prison, also known as Zhengzhou Prison, has persecuted Falun Gong practitioners in Henan Province the most severely since 1999. It was reported that more than one thousand practitioners have been detained there at one point or another for not renouncing their faith.

Most of the imprisoned practitioners were beaten, tortured, and forced to watch propaganda videos attacking Falun Gong. Some were persecuted to death by the guards.

Similar to Mr. Wang, Mr. Chen Yuemin, from Sanmenxia City, was tortured to the verge of death. Only then was he released. He passed away on April 26, 2011, at the age of 48.

Mr. Li Xilu, a resident of Zhengzhou City, was sentenced to three years in March 2011. In Xinmi Prison, his health deteriorated due to abuse, and he showed symptoms of diabetes. He died in the prison on March 9, 2012.

Mr. Mei Shengxin was from Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province. He went to work in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, to hide from the police. He was arrested in December 2002 and sentenced to nine years in prison.

The guards deprived him of sleep and ordered several prisoners to take turns watching him for nine continuous days in 2007. The prisoners beat him whenever he closed his eyes. He passed out and struck his head on a fish tank. Blood covered his body. He was rushed to the hospital, where he required many stitches. He almost died from the incident. The guards also instructed inmates to put faeces in his mouth.

Mr. Mei died in February 2011, a few days before his term ended. Prison authorities cremated his body before his family arrived to view it, and they threatened his family not to disclose information about his death to anyone.