Individual Case Reports of the Outrageous Torture of Practitioners in Jiamusi Labour Camp

Jiamusi Labour Camp in Heilongjiang Province has adopted various inhuman means to torture detained Dafa practitioners. It is known that one practitioner has been beaten to death in the camp, two practitioners have died because of pressure and persecution, and eight other practitioners died at home after they were taken back home due to being physically ill after severe torture. In total, this labour camp is responsible for the deaths of 11 practitioners. Many other practitioners were beaten until they were injured or disabled. All practitioners detained there have suffered severe torment.

Ways of tormenting practitioners in the camp include:

Spreading lies about Falun Gong
Forcing them to sit on a small stool (made of enamel insulated wire) or on a metal chair ("tiger bench")
Forbidding them to close their eyes during the daytime or to sit in meditation or with crossed legs in lotus position
Scheduling classes at night, forbidding practitioners to sleep at night
Inducing criminals to beat Dafa practitioners
Opening windows in the coldest weather to freeze Dafa practitioners
Shocking practitioners with electric batons
Forbidding them to go to the washroom
Forcing them to work long hours
Force-feeding
Locking practitioners into small cells
Extending detention time

Example 1:

Dafa practitioners are forced to sit on a small stool from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., where they are exposed to deceptive police propaganda. If they talk or close their eyes, they are in violation of prison regulations. While the policemen feed them lies, practitioners are forbidden to go to the washroom.

Hui Yuexin, 23 years old, has been left with congenital brain damage and is unable to move her limbs. She closed her eyes to take a rest and as punishment she was placed in solitary confinement. Policemen Li Yufang and Zhang Yi beat her violently and kicked her head. When they became tired they instigated criminals Wang Hongwei, Wang He, Yu Haiyang and others to beat Hui Yuexin. Hui lost consciousness and went into shock. When she regained consciousness, they placed her on a small stool, not allowing her to move. Because of a malformation of her legs, she was not able to sit on the small stool. Although the police knew that she was unable to sit, they would still not let her go. They handcuffed Hui to the "tiger bench," until she lost consciousness. As a result of torture, Hui has been lying in bed for three months because she was unable to take care of herself.

When Li Jingfeng was saying some words that the authorities did not like, his words were overheard by a criminal, Du Fengjun who reported the words to Diao Yukun. Yang Jiantao, the squadron commander, commanded Du to handcuff Li Jingfeng behind the back to the bed and to make him sit on a small stool, forbidding him to sleep for 11 days. He was beaten when he closed his eyes, causing many bumps and bruises all over his body and causing him to have a heart attack. A doctor rescued him and put him on a bed. Policeman Wang Kai claimed that Li Jingfeng only pretended to pass out, and burned the back of Li's hand using hot water, causing a big blister. When he saw that Li still would not awake up, he pressed a cigarette lighter against his acupuncture point slightly above the upper lip. After that, Li regained consciousness. When Li reported this torture to Brigade Chief Liu Hongguang later, Liu refused to deal with the issue. Li Jingfeng suffered similar tortures many times, which should have resulted in his being admitted to the hospital, but the police did not allow it.

Example 2:

Dafa practitioners in solitary confinement were forced to sit on a small stool. The stools are made of enamel-insulated wire with a rough surface. In the summer, practitioners wear only a single layer of clothes and their flesh becomes stuck to their pants. They are forbidden to move, while four criminals take turns watching them 24 hours a day. In another torture, the whole body is sandwiched between two floor bricks. Sometimes the hands are cuffed behind their backs to the ground or to the leg of a bed. They are forbidden to sleep or close their eyes. Their skin soon starts to bleed and their flesh is constantly rubbed raw. Police order four or five criminal prisoners to carry practitioners and place them on the stool, pressing them down. If practitioners do not cooperate they are punched and kicked until their bodies are bruised and swollen. Brigade chief Liu Hongguang, who oversaw this treatment, approved of the results.

Example 3:

Policemen Liu Hongguang, Yang Jianqing (squadron commander), Guo Gang, Diao Yukun, Li Yufang, Zhang Yijun, and Wang Kaili promised criminal inmates reduced prison terms, in return for their cooperation in tormenting practitioners. As a result, they handcuff practitioners to the ground or to 'tiger benches' and beat them, wearing boxing gloves. They bang them against the wall, use their heels to kick practitioners, stuff socks and cleaning rags into their mouths, force-feed them urine, beat them with planks, deprive them of sleep, or burn their ears. The policy of the labor camp is "Educate and persuade a person. If this does not work, then persecute him. And if it still has no effect, then cremate him." Encouraged by the police, the criminals unscrupulously torture practitioners without restraint. They force practitioners to work long hours, do not allow for breaks at noon, force them to work from 4 a.m. to midnight, and do not allow them to close their eyes during the daytime.

Li Jichang, is a 60 year old practitioner who closed his eyes because he was tired, which was violating the "rules." So he was cuffed to a "tiger bench" for 5 days and nights, and not allowed to sleep. Whenever he closed his eyes the guards would shock him with an electric baton, causing him to become ill. He has since been confined to bed.

Practitioners Shao Dianyin, Qi Shuangyuan, Shang Xiping and Wei Jinqiang demanded to see the supervisor to explain the situation. However, Liu Hongguang falsely accused them of violating jail discipline, and put them into a small cell. Shang Xiping still insisted to see the supervisor, refusing to be handcuffed. As a result, he was forced to the ground by seven or eight policemen and kicked. He was handcuffed for five days and nights, and deprived of sleep. Shao Dianyin refused to be handcuffed and was therefore strapped to the tiger bench. Liu Hongguang, Li Yufang and Zhang Zhenhua ordered the criminal prisoners Liang Quangui and Du Hongjun to wake up Shao and to gag and beat him until they broke his ribs. Even with such serious injuries, Shao is still being detained in jail. Qi Shuangyuan refused to cooperate and was handcuffed to the bench, which caused him to develop hypertension and heart disease. He was forbidden to sleep for five days and nights. Yang Jiantao told the criminal prisoner Qiu Hongbin, "If you let him go to sleep, I will punish you." Wei Jinqiang should have been released after he finished serving his term. However, he was handcuffed and his release was delayed by seven days.

Example 4:

Right before the 16th Party Congress, the Jiamusi Labour camp started a new cycle of hate campaigns. They chose to attack individual practitioners. Everyday, the passageway is filled with the sound of electric shocks. One Practitioner, named Yu Lei was shocked for two hours by two criminals Du Fengjun and Wang Hongwei. One month later, his face and cheeks were still raw from the wounds. According one criminal prisoner's recollection, one 18-year-old criminal, named Wang Qiang, became so frightened by witnessing such inhumane acts that he went insane, and ran away whenever he saw anyone.

Practitioner Yu Panyou resisted the persecution and was handcuffed to the "dead man's bed" for 22 days. The flesh of his buttocks became stuck to his pants. He was beaten and had his money extorted from him.

Hou Zhiqiang, who refused to cooperate, was kicked in the ribs until they were broken. He was handcuffed to a bed. He was beaten by Wang Hongwei many times. The police not only ignored the torture, but also reduced the prison terms for the criminals who were responsible for it.

Mr. Cheng Xueshan is 63 years old and from Tongjiang. Mr. Sui Tianlong, is from Fuyuan. They were detained for six months without any legal procedure. Cheng's health became very poor due to the long duration of his mistreatment. He could no longer eat, as he vomited if he tried. The police claimed that he was on a hunger strike and placed him into a small cell. It was winter, and his two hands were handcuffed to a ring in the cold cement ground where he sat for one week, causing kidney failure. All feeling in his hands was lost. Sui Tianlong was detained for eight months without any legal procedure. He was not released until he had not been able to eat for six days.

Ms. Guo Yuzhu reported this situation to the brigade chief. Liu Hongguang ordered Guo Gang to "transform" her by forcing her to sit on a stool and then the tiger bench for 60 days. He was force fed for 29 days, strapped to the "dead man's bed" for 20 days. Liu Hongguang told Guo Yuzhu, "I don't believe that I won't be able to deal with you. If you will not be transformed, I will torture you to death before you can go home." Guo was beaten by criminals many times.

They have intimidated practitioners, extended their terms, and beaten and isolated them. In order to prevent practitioners from crying out, the perpetrators gag them. Their sentences were extended and they were forced to sit on a stool from 3 a.m. to midnight. They were not allowed to sleep, wash, and use the bathroom or to move. Once, someone was forced to sit on a stool for three months. Isolated practitioners had to sit on metal benches in freezing weather with only thin clothes on, and the windows open. If they started to slouch just a little, someone would pour cold water on them.

Practitioners who try to protest against the mistreatment by going on a hunger strike, are brutally force-fed. Their tormentors twist the feeding tube around, claiming it is necessary for treatment. Four to five policemen hold down the practitioners while another one inserts the tube. They even laughed at the distress of the practitioners, which shows that they have completely lost their humanity.

Example 5:

Mr. Zhang Changming, 50 years old, was sentenced to a labour camp in December 1999. In November 2000, he managed to escape. In November 2001, he was again captured and brought back. On April 20, 2003 he was tormented to the brink of mental collapse. He was not only denied hospital treatment, but his captors also ordered criminals to beat him, and bound him for over 20 days. He was confined in a small cell twice and handcuffed to the ground, having to sit on the cold ground, without food. During the Spring Festival he was still detained in the small cell. On the eve of Chinese New Year someone poured his food on the ground. He was beaten and burned with cigarettes causing swollen wounds all over his body as well as brain inflammation (he had a history of high blood pressure and heart attack). In only 20 days, he was tortured to death.

Mr. Jia Yongfa, 37 years old, was sentenced to one year in jail on November 3, 1999. When his term was up, police still did not release him. Jia escaped, was re-captured and had his term extended by one year. In order to protest his unjust treatment, Jia went on a hunger strike and was brutally force-fed. His oesophageal tract and lung were damage during this treatment and he died after being carried home.

Mr. Zheng Libin was detained in Tuanhe Labour Camp for two years and was released on April 17, 2003, after his term expired. Jiamusi Xiangyang Police Branch deceived him into going to Jiamusi Labour Camp claiming they simply needed him to complete some paper work there. The director of managing office, Xu Hengji, detained him without any reason. Liu Hongguang placed him into a small cell and ordered two criminal prisoners to watch him. Zheng was handcuffed to the bed for three months. He went on a hunger strike to protest his unjust treatment and requested to be allowed to appeal to procurator Wang Hongming. However, Wang did not pay attention to the appeal. The long term handcuffing caused Zheng Libin's spinal column to become deformed. He was released on August 7. His belongings were cut to shreds by police and two criminal prisoners, Yu Haiyang and Qiu Hongbin.

Example 6:

Qin Zhengyong was strapped to the tiger bench, and was beaten, electro-shocked, and kicked by four to five criminals. Qin was covered with wounds and he had to stay in bed for one month as a result of the torture.

Liu Yanchang was tormented by criminals Wang Hongwei, Du Hongjun, Yu Haiyang, Liang Jingui and Li Wenbo. He was forbidden to go to the washroom and was forced to sit upright on a stool. He fell unconscious frequently, his eyes could not focus, and his head was injured. The guards showed no concern about his condition at all.

Each squad, class and individual cell has a strict electrical monitoring system. Everyone's behaviour is under constant surveillance. When criminals beat practitioners, the guards do not stop them, but secretly encourage such behaviour. Each month, the terms of criminals who beat practitioners are reduced. Each "transformation class" includes two criminal prisoners who monitor the proceedings. Dafa practitioners are forbidden to talk to each other and all news is blocked. Practitioners who are not convinced to give up the practice, are forbidden to see their family members. Many of the torture methods and hard labour are arranged by Liu Hongguang, the brigade chief. Whenever the city or province leaders came to inspect the camp, Liu temporarily has the handcuffs of the practitioners undone and dismisses them from hard labour. He forbade practitioners to contact the visiting leaders and he deceives his supervisors as well as his subordinates. When TV reporters came for an interview, he arranged several "transformed" practitioners to recite the approved party line. Those practitioners who are steadfast in their beliefs are not allowed any contact with the outside either by phone calls, letters, TV or visits with family members. People on the outside have no way of knowing what goes on inside the camp. Liu Hongguang is cruel and despotic; those guards who are not in accordance with his ideas are transferred. Those who treat practitioners cruelly are promoted. In particular, Guo Gang, Yang Chunlong, Diao Yukun, Zhang Yijun are his henchmen. Criminal prisoners who leak news from the outside to practitioners are punished, but criminal prisoners who beat practitioners cruelly have their terms reduced. Such individuals have totally lost their human nature and conscience. It is impossible to know how many practitioners they have injured and killed because the news is blocked. We hope that our fellow practitioners and other people who know the inside stories will write them down and publicise them. This is necessary to disclose the evil means, and to decrease the persecution of human beings and Dafa practitioners.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2003/11/24/61181.html