Falun Gong Practitioner Zhou Lan Persecuted at Shanxi Province Women's Prison

Name: Zhou Lan
Gender: Female
Age: 41
Address: Yushe in Shanxi Province
Occupation: Unknown

Date of Most Recent Arrest: December 2008
Most Recent Place of Detention: Shanxi Province Women's Prison
City: Jinzhong
Province: Shanxi
Persecution Suffered: Detention, imprisonment, sleep deprivation, beatings, torture

Shanxi Province Women's Prison is located in Maoerling, in the Yuchi District of Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province. This prison is an evil place which cruelly maltreats Falun Gong practitioners. Female practitioners sentenced to imprisonment in Shanxi Province are incarcerated there, including those who were arrested during the Communist Party Conference period in 2002. Ms. Zhou Lan suffered from inhumane abuse there.

Ms. Zhou Lan, born in 1969, is a resident of Yushe, Shanxi Province. In December 2008, she was transferred from the Taiyuan City Detention Centre to the prison for women in Shanxi Province. When she first arrived, whenever the inmates did a roll call, she shouted, "Falun Gong is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good, Renounce your Chinese Communist Party (CCP) membership to ensure your safety." Later, the guards did not allow her to go out, nor did they allow her to sleep. She was punished and had to stand for long periods of time or sit for extended periods. They also used prisoners in her cell to beat her.

Jiao Huiqing, the political head of the No. 10 team, was very vicious. Because Ms. Zhou was explaining the facts about Falun Gong the corridors, she was not allowed to go out, not even to use the toilet, thus she had to excrete in the cell. Jian Huiqing also instigated inmates to monitor her; they did not allow her to sleep. When she closed her eyes, the inmates who were assigned to watch her beat her. They hit her in the eyes and head, and her face and eyes were covered with bruises. At night, they put her in the toilet and poured cold water on her face and body in order to prevent her from falling asleep. Her clothes were frequently wet.

In June 2009, one night at around 4:00 a.m., Ms. Zhou was really sleepy. Inmate Lu Aiwu used a bamboo pole, which is used to hang up clothes, to viciously hit her head and legs. The guard on duty did not stop her. The next day, other practitioners noticed two big wounds on Ms. Zhou's head. She was very sleepy and did not realise that she had wounds on her head. Later, other practitioners reported the matter to the guards, and then they dressed her wounds. Yet the guards did not punish Lu Aiwu for this matter. Due to the strong appeal from practitioners, the guards on duty brought the matter to the prison heads and Lu was then punished.

Practitioner Du Bing from Taiyuan is currently being incarcerated in the No. 2 Ward of Shanxi Province Women's Prison. No. 2 Ward Head Lei Runxiang is very vicious and two practitioners were beaten to death under her supervision.

This prison also uses torture devices on those practitioners who do not yield, and they use all kinds of means to hide their evil deeds. Practitioners are also denied the right of visitations from family members.

Shanxi Province Women's Prison authorities:

No. 2 Ward Head Lei Runxiang: 86-354-3299768 (Home), 86-354-3299975 (Office)

Gu, team head: 86-354-3299870

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2010/1/24/216798.html