Ms. Jia Xinghua's Account of Persecution in Qianjin Forced Labour Camp

Ms. Jia Xinghua is a practitioner from Shangzhi, Harbin City in Heilongjiang Province. She was arrested and sent to Qianjin Forced Labour Camp in Harbin for more than two years.

The following is an account of persecution to which Ms. Jia Xinghua's has been subjected.

Sent to Qianjin Forced Labour Camp

When two practitioners and I distributed materials about Falun Gong on the evening of June 24th, 2007, we were reported to the police. A police officer suddenly grabbed my shoulder from behind, which frightened me. During the ensuing struggle, I was beaten and my lower spine fractured. My family was told that if they didn't report my injuries to higher authorities, I would be released within two weeks. However two weeks later, on July 12th, 2007, I was taken to Qianjin Forced Labour Camp, and my family was not notified.

As I was unable to walk, I was carried to the “strict control group” on the third floor, where I was constantly monitored and not allowed to talk to others. My heart rate was very fast and it took a long time for it to recover. I could neither go to the toilet or get up without help, and needed an oxygen mask many times a day to help me breathe. My family repeatedly requested permission to help me with the medical treatment. More than a month later, Sun Shijun, head of the labour camp, finally agreed. The camp's doctor, Wang, forced me to take medicine, even after I told him that I might be allergic to some of it. He said, “You must take the medicine today. If you die, I will be held responsible.” When I took the medicine I felt very unwell and had difficulty breathing. Wang had to quickly give me oxygen, and it took a long time for my heart rate to slow down again.

I often felt dizzy, fell down, and had headaches. I was in critical condition, but guard Yu Fangli kept shouting at me and saying that I was faking my illness.

Forced Labour

In early 2008, Zhang Bo, head of the No. 1 Division, increased the work quota for each inmate. As the work couldn't be finished in the workshop by 9:00 p.m., we had to take it back to the cell to continue, which exhausted all of us. Five people on the third floor went on a hunger strike in protest, including Sun Suyun, Li Wenjun, Zhang Suyun, Lu Huiwen, Zuo Xianfeng (Lu Huiwen's daughter), and myself. Li Wenjun, Zhang Suyun, and Lu Huiwen were dragged to the basement, where they were beaten and hung by their handcuffs. When they were brought back, they still had to go to the workshop and were assigned larger workloads. Sun Suyun and I were ill, so we were left on the third floor. Chen Lihua, head of the administration section, pushed Sun Suyun to the ground and forced her to go back to the workshop.

Disregard for Human Life

When we returned to our cells from the workshop on the evening of April 29th, 2008, I could hardly breathe. I opened the window, which was beside my bed, and tried to let in some air. Zhang Bo saw it, and ordered me to close the window, even when I told her that I had difficulty breathing. It was unbearable and I opened the window again. Zhang Bo rushed in and slammed it shut. She kept shouting at me. It felt like I was dying, so I opened the window again. Zhang Bo immediately closed it and held on to the handle to prevent me from opening it again. She viciously said, “Go ahead and suffocate. If you die, I don’t care.” At that time, another doctor, Zhang, came in and connected me to an oxygen bag. Zhang Bo still shouted, “Suffocate her. Let's see if she will suffocate to death today.” When the doctor suggested that I have an oxygen tank next to my bed, Zhang Bo refused to listen, so the doctor had to provide me with a second oxygen bag.

Zhang Bo ordered the doctor to check the blood pressure on several physically weak practitioners, including me, many times during the first half of 2008, in order to send us back to work. However, the doctor stated that our blood pressure was too high for us to go back to the workshop.

During visiting times on July 16th, 2008, Chen Lihua noticed that my family had brought me things, and shouted, “You have so much stuff. You just keep eating but don't work. Tomorrow you must go back to the workshop.” I still needed the help of others to walk and had high blood pressure, but I was made to do forced labour again.

We had to get up at 5:00 a.m. and go to the workshop. When we returned in the evening, we were often punished and had to sit on small stools. I felt uncomfortable in my heart, and my legs and feet were swollen so much that I couldn't take off my underpants or wear shoes. In such a condition, I was still not allowed to rest and had to work every day. During the second half of 2008, we were assigned to make sticks for ice cream bars. Two people helped me to sit down for work and then helped me back to bed when I was no longer able to continue. My term was extended because I was unable to finish my quota.

The central heating in the labour camp was turned off in February 2009, while the weather was still cold. The guards all wore warm coats, while the inmates worked in the cold, sorting toothpicks. More than 30 inmates from two divisions suffered various degrees of frostbite.

One day in May 2009, several ill and old practitioners were moved to a room on the third floor to avoid an inspection by higher authorities. I felt very uncomfortable and fell onto a bed after arriving. Guard Zhou Muzhi tried to drag me off the bed. She beat me and shouted at me. Yang Guohong, deputy head of the division, then beat me in the restroom until my nose bled. We were forced to go to the cafeteria and eat by ourselves. With the help of the others, I barely made it to the cafeteria and fell to the ground. Yang Guohong yelled, “No one is allowed to help her. Let her starve to death.” When Yang Guohong was in charge, none of the inmates were allowed to take a shower for over 100 days. We were not allowed to use the restrooms at night, and buckets were placed in the cells for us to urinate in. This made the cells smell badly, especially during the hot summer months.

The Suffering of Fellow Practitioners

Ms. Ning Shuxian was severely beaten on March 6th, 2009. She was called to the office, where Zhou Muzhi, Yu Fengli, and Liu Chang beat her until her head and nose were bleeding, and her body was covered with bruises. Inmate Sun Bo beat Ms. Ning about the head until she lost consciousness. The doctor told Sun Bo, “Ning Shuxian has a problem in her head. You might kill her if you beat her in such a way.”

When Ms. Gao Guofeng shouted “Falun Gong is good” on September 29th, 2007, she was dragged to the first floor and beaten by five guards. She was then put in solitary confinement and tortured while being hung up by her handcuffs. This severely injured Ms. Gao's arms.

When Ms. Wang Guiqin tried to stop guard Cong Zhixiu from saying bad words about the founder of Falun Gong, she was beaten by Cong Zhixiu until her mouth and nose bled. She was then forced to stand outside in the cold. When Ms. Wang was first sent to the labour camp, she refused to write a guarantee statement renouncing her belief. Wang Min and Liu Chang punished her and she was forced to stay in a strenuous position for one day.

Ms. Song Baolian also refused to write a guarantee statement, and was twice hung up and beaten by seven guards, including Zhang Bo. She lost consciousness several times. The gate on the third floor was tightly closed, but we still heard her screams when she was tortured. Ms. Song was kicked repeatedly on her leg until it was fractured. Her legs were dark and swollen, and she was unable to take off her pants. On once occasion when Ms. Song was beaten, she bled so much that she almost died.

Ms. Sun Lifeng was forced to sit on the cold floor. She bled a lot and developed a tumour in her uterus. Her whole body was swollen, and she couldn't put on her shoes due to the swelling. She was nonetheless still forced to work in the workshop.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2011/1/26/235323.html