The Persecution of Practitioners at Changji Prison in Xinjiang Autonomous Region

From 2001 until the end of 2006, fifteen Falun Gong practitioners have been detained at Changji Prison (also known as Xiabahu Prison) in Xinjiang Autonomous Region (AR). Below are details of the persecution suffered by several of these practitioners.

Practitioner Lu Yongjian was arrested and sentenced in September 2000. In 2001 Mr. Lu was sent to Xiabahu Prison. During the detention, in order to "reform" [forcibly renounce Falun Gong] him, prison guards Guan Jiankun and Shi Wenjun first hit Mr. Lu with sticks. Then they beat him with electric batons. Mr. Lu's body (from the thighs to buttocks) turned black and blue from the beating. He could not sit or lie down due to the torture. He was tortured until he signed a guarantee statement to renounce Falun Gong against his will. However, the persecution of Mr. Lu did not stop. Mr. Lu, in his 60s, was forced to haul bricks along with the young inmates in the brick factory, which is the toughest place in the prison. They were assigned quotas. If the quota was not met, they were forced to run on the track until midnight. Mr. Lu was allowed to sleep for only three to four hours each night. He had been detained for three years when he was released in October 2003.

Practitioner Fan Wei was arrested in September 2000 when distributing materials exposing the persecution of Falun Gong. He was subsequently sentenced. In 2001 Mr. Fan was sent to Xiabahu Prison for detention. Prison guard Shi Wenjun tried to "reform" Mr. Fan. Shi persecuted Mr. Fan the same way he persecuted Mr. Lu Yongjian. Unable to bear any more, Mr. Fan signed a guarantee statement against his will. After that Shi Wenjun forced Mr. Fan to run on the track. Mr. Fan felt he betrayed Master Li by signing the guarantee statement and became very regretful and pessimistic. Mr. Fan was handcuffed and shackled and was monitored by other inmates. He had been detained for four years and eight months when he was released in May 2005.

Practitioner Zhang Yu was arrested and sentenced in October 2000. He was sent to Xiabahu Prison in 2001. In their attempts to "reform" Mr. Zhang, guards Guan Jiankun and Shi Wenjun handcuffed him and taped his mouth to prevent him from crying out. They beat Mr. Zhang with sticks and shocked him with electric batons, until he signed a guarantee statement against his will. Mr. Zhang was released in February 2004 after being detained for three-and-a-half years. During his detention, his wife divorced him due to the pressure of the persecution.

Practitioner Zhang Tingji was arrested and sentenced in 2000. Mr. Zhang was sent to Xiabahu Prison in June 2001. Guards Shi Wenjun and Guan Jiankun forced him to load bricks in the brick factory under the blazing sun. If he did not meet the required quota imposed on him, he was then forced to run on the track. Mr. Zhang was released in September 2003 after being detained for three years.

Practitioner Shen Baoping was also severely persecuted and died in Changji Prison in 2004.

After the death of Shen Baoping, Falun Gong practitioners detained at Changji Prison were divided up into different prison units for secret detention. The details of the persecution since then are unknown. In 2007, practitioners detained there were transferred to the Fifth Prison of Xinjiang AR.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2009/11/13/212535.html