Autopsy Request Denied after Mr. Lizhong Huang Tortured to Death

Mr. Huang Lizhong, a Falun Gong practitioner from Lianshan District, Huludao City, Liaoning Province, died on October 25th, 2009, after being ruthlessly persecuted in Panjin Prison for over a year. The prison authorities and the prosecutor from Panjin City refused an autopsy request by Mr. Huang's family to reveal the true cause of his death.

Mr. Huang was 47 years old when on February 25th, 2008 he was arrested at his home and sentenced to nine years in prison by the Chinese Communist authorities. In September, he was sent to the fifth squadron in the Panjin Prison. When his family went to visit him on October 20th he had lost so much weight that his bones were protruding from his body. He was shaking, looked to be very weak, and had difficulty talking. Mr. Huang's family then realised that the real reason the authorities had prevented them from seeing him was because prison guards, led by Wang Jianjun (Badge # 2193272), the prison head, were trying to hide their brutal persecution (by using electric shock) of Mr. Huang. Five days later, at 9:30 p.m. on October 25th, Mr. Huang's family was informed that Mr. Huang had died.

On October 26th, Mr. Huang's family hired a lawyer who went to Panjin City with them. Arriving there at about noon they met Zhang Guolin, captain of Supervision District 7, and Zhang Yawei, president of the hospital, who accompanied them to the funeral home. After seeing Mr. Huang's corpse, the family requested to speak with the prison head.

At about 2:00 p.m., prison head Wang Haijun, Yang Youshan, the education director, and Wang Shouzhu, the chief of the procurator department, came to see them. When the family asked about the cause of Mr. Huang's death, Wang said "It was a sudden death." Not believing him, the family's lawyer then requested the prison authority to perform an autopsy.

On October 27th, Mr. Huang's family and lawyer went to the suburban procuratorate department in Panjin City. They submitted a letter of intent to sue (see Appendix for content) to the director. Wang Shuozhu, chief of the legal system, told him that they objected to Mr Haung's "sudden death" excuse provided by the prison authorities and requested a formal identification of the cause of death. Wang, Chen, and the attorney-general, didn't consent to their request and continued insisting that Mr. Huang's death was "natural." They refused the application for the autopsy. Finally, under pressure Wang and Chen, the prison authorities agreed to provide the family and lawyer with a "certificate of death," "funeral card of death," and the medical certificate given by the hospital.

Because the prison authorities refused an autopsy, the Huang family had no choice but to return home. They have prepared an appeal for the procurators in Panjin City and Liaoning Province.

Panjin Prison:

Zhang Guolin, captain of Supervision District 7: 86-13390270703 (Mobile)
Zhang Yawei, hospital direction of Supervision District 5: 86-13390273366
Wang Haijun, prison director: 86-427-5637369 (Office), 86-427-5637351 (Fax)
Suburb procurator in Panjin City:
Wang Shuozhu, chief of legal section: 86-427-2681508 (Office), 86-13842762003 (Mobile)

Attachment 1: Letter of Application

The Suburban Procuratorate Department of Panjin City:

In view of Mr. Huang Lizhong's death in the Panjin Prison on October 25th, 2009, the Second People's Hospital of Panjin City's diagnosis of the death as "sudden death, and the prison authorities' verbal identification of the death as "sudden death," the family of Mr. Huang hereby raise objection to the nature of the claim and believe instead Mr Huang died from unnatural causes. We herein request an autopsy from an independent forensic institution to determine the cause of Mr. Huang's death.

Thereby apply: October 27th, 2009

Attachment 2: Letter of Accusation

We are members of Mr. Huang Lizhong's family. We want to sue Wang Jianjun, captain of Supervision District 5 in Panjin Prison, for his involvement in the torture and death of Mr. Huang Lizhong.

In July 2008, Mr. Huang Lizhong was sent to Supervision District 5 in Panjin Prison. When his wife went to see him on May 2nd, 2009, Ma Ying, the prison guard, told her, "Huang Lizhong has violated the disciplinary rules. According to prison law, he is not allowed to see his family or loved ones for five months. Come back in five months." When she asked him to show her the prison law documents, he said he didn't have them, and said, "I am not the one who decides on this." Mr. Huang's wife had no choice but to leave.

In mid-June, Mr. Huang's wife went back to Supervision District 5 to see her husband. She saw Wei, captain of the prison, and told him that she wanted to see her husband. Wei refused her and told her that the matter was determined by him. She had no choice again, so she went home.

On October 20th, Mr. Huang's wife went back to Supervision District 5 to talk with Ma Ying. Ma told her that her husband was transferred to Supervision District 7. She then went to Supervision District 7. Zhang Guolin told her that her husband was transferred back to Supervision District 5 due to his poor health, and told her to see him there.

At about 2:00 p.m., Mr. Huang was carried by a prisoner to the reception room where his wife nearly did not recognise him. He looked pale and very skinny. His teeth had changed shape and he had difficulty talking. His body was shaking uncontrollably. In just five months, a completely healthy person was persecuted to such a horrible degree. He was only 47 years old, but he looked as if he was over 60. When she saw him in April, he looked very normal and energetic. She told him, "They wouldn't let me in to see you because they said you had violated the disciplinary rule." He said, "They said I've violated the disciplinary rules? They have nearly shocked me to death, with an electric baton and now I just got a little better." She asked him, "When?" He said, "April 20th." She asked him, "Who did it?" He said, "Wang Jianjun!" She asked him, "Did anyone beat you?" He said, "Of course." She wanted to ask him more questions, but the guards immediately interrupted her. He told her that because of the electric-shock torture, he had lost some of his hearing.

The visit lasted twenty minutes. His wife realised that they didn't let her see him because they wanted to conceal the brutal torture.

Five days later, on October 25th, the prison authorities informed the family of Mr. Huang's death.

When Mr. Huang's wife came to visit him in May and June, she was refused entry by the prison authorities. This is illegal. When Mr. Huang was in critical condition, the prison authorities didn't inform his family, rendering his family unable to see him for the last time. We suspect that Mr. Huang's death was caused by extensive electric-shock torture. After Wang Jianjun shocked him on April 20th, his internal organs were seriously injured, which his family believes caused his death.

We therefore ask the prosecutor to investigate the death of Mr. Huang and bring the perpetrator to justice, so as to give the family closure and peace. We believe that even in today's society justice will always prevail.

Huang Lizhong's Family

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2009/11/1/211618.html