Mr. Yang Guang Tortured to Death in Jilin Province Prison

Mr. Yang Guang, 56, a native of Changchun City, Jilin Province, used to be employed as CEO by a foreign investment company in Shandong Province. He was arrested in November 2000, in Baishan City, Jilin Province, and was soon transferred back to Changchun City.

First Division Chief Liang (male, given name unknown), of Changchun City Police Department interrogated Mr. Yang using cruel torture methods such as: long duration electric baton shocks, tiger bench¹, beatings with a steel rod, being hung up and beaten with hands cuffed behind the back, sleep deprivation, oxygen deprivation (suffocation with plastic bag over the head), and being force-fed liquor. After these inhuman tortures, officers forced Mr. Yang to say that he was "controlled by someone from Beijing and the United States," and he "was the leader of Falun Gong in Changchun City." The First Division of Changchun City Police Department used these fabricated facts to file a report to the Public Safety Ministry and Luo Gan. This resulted in the First Division of Changchun City Police Department receiving a "Group First Level Merit Award" and written praise from Luo Gan.

At a Nanguan District trial in 2002, Mr. Yang Guang needed the support of two others to walk. His right leg was broken. He had necrosis of the femoral head. Despite his condition, he was still sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was carried into Jilin Province Second Prison and locked in the "Nude" section of Old and Disabled Ward. These prisoners were mentally disabled patients, or prisoners who had been beaten until they were crippled, or those who lost the ability to take care themselves. They were not allowed to wear trousers because they were paralysed. Prisoners made simple wheel chairs by cutting a large hole in the middle of a chair. Mr. Yang could not clean himself after defecating. The entire ward was without sunlight all year around, the beds were small and the food was very bad. They were bathed by other prisoners who would push them into the wet room, spray them down with a hose, and dry them with mops that had a metal edges poking out.

In December 2004, Mr. Yang Guang's health worsened. His family asked that he be released on medical parole, but the Prison Administration refused and transferred him to Tiebei Prison in Changchun City. He was detained in the temporary housing behind the Tiebei Prison Hospital. He never received any treatment, became emaciated, and was almost totally paralysed. To add insult to injury, his family had to pay more than 1,100 yuan² per month for him to be there.

In June 2005, Mr. Yang Guang was taken back to the Jilin Province Second Prison. He was in extremely bad physical condition. Guards were still trying to brainwash him. Mr. Yang shouted with all his might, "There is nothing wrong with believing in Truth-Compassion-Forbearance!"

In 2006, Mr. Yang Guang was 100 per cent paralysed, had pleurisy and he suffered multi-system organ failure. He was near death. A once strong man's muscles had atrophied. He was emaciated, both of his legs were crippled, and his toes were deformed and infected. He had totally lost the ability to take care of himself, he could not walk, but the Prison would not release him.

Around August 8th, 2008, Mr. Yang Guang was dying. His body which was as thin as a skeleton suddenly bloated, and he could not eat. The Prison Administration took him to the Jilin Province Railroad Hospital, but did not allow his family to see him. He died on August 25th, 2008. His body was cremated immediately.

Jilin Province Second Prison: 86-432-4881551
In Prison Procuratorate: 86-432-4881515
Deputy Prison Director Wang Chengwu (male): 86-432-4881551, ext.-3004
Deputy Prison Director Liu Wei (male): 86-432-4881551, ext.-3005
Jilin Province Prison Management Bureau Appeal Office: 86-431-82750074
Jilin Province Prison Management Bureau Director: 86-431-82750001
Jilin Province Prison Management Bureau CCP Secretary Xu (gender and given name unknown): 86-431-82750003

Note

1. "Tiger Bench": Prisoners are forced to sit on a small iron bench that is approximately 20 cm (6 inches) tall with their knees tied together. With their hands tied behind their backs or sometimes placed on their knees, they are forced to sit straight up and look straight ahead without movement for long periods of time.

2. "Yuan" is the Chinese currency; 500 yuan is equal to the average monthly income of an urban worker in China.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.cc/mh/articles/2008/9/2/185168.html