Tortured in Banqiao Forced Labour Camp in Tianjin City, Ms. Wang Ruihua's Situation Worsens

Since Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Wang Ruihua from Dagang, Tianjin City was arrested and detained at Banqiao Women's Forced Labour Camp in Tianjin last year, she has been subjected to mental and physical torture. Her situation is critical, as she has become emaciated, has difficulty swallowing food, has fainted a few time, and, because she is so weak, she can hardly walk. Her family has demanded her release and asked to bail her out for medical treatment many times, but the police have refused to comply. The explanation they gave was that Ms. Wang refused to be “transformed” [forcibly renounce Falun Gong].

Ms. Wang Ruihua is 41 years old. On February 26th, 2011, when she, her husband, Mr. Du Wancheng, and other practitioners were putting up Falun Gong leaflets exposing the persecution, the Shengli police arrested them. She was later transferred to Banqiao Woman's Forced Labour Camp, where prison officers tortured her by having her stand for a long time, do hard labor, endure brainwashing and threats, etc., in order to force her to give up her belief. As a result of torture, Ms. Wang was badly injured both mentally and physically.

In May 2011, Ms. Wang's throat felt terrible, and she had difficulty eating. In August, she could only eat food soaked in water. She had many blisters of various sizes in her throat. Two months later, guards from the labour camp took her to the hospital, spending the few hundred yuan¹ she had with her. They also forced her to take medication and did not let her family members know about her situation. She couldn't afford the medical expenses nor sustain the treatment. She declared that the previous statement she had written was done against her will and under pressure, and it was invalid. As a result, the guards took revenge on her for a few months and did not allow her sister-in-law to visit her.

In the spring of 2012, her situation became even worse. Officers from the camp took her to a hospital to test for blood in her urine. They said that she had an inflammation, but it was not very serious. However, Ms. Wang still could not eat or swallow anything, and she became emaciated and fainted a few times. When her family demanded her release and asked that she get proper medical treatment, their requests were turned down by the labour camp, because she refused to be “transformed” and did not give up practising Falun Gong.

In early April 2012, Ms. Wang could not even drink water, and her weight was just over 80lbs, so she was put on an IV. When her family came to visit her, she needed assistance to walk. When Ms. Wang's relative questioned the officials about why she was so weak, team leader Li denied the fact that people from the camp forced Ms. Wang to go to the hospital and take medication, and said that she was fine, and the reason she did not eat was because of her mood.

After February 26th, 2011, when Ms. Wang was arrested and admitted to Shengli Police Station, she was kicked and punched by police officer Wang Conghe. Wang used a club to beat her and didn't stop until the club broke. After that, he tried to pull off her pants to humiliate her and did not stop until Ms. Wang strongly opposed him. Two police officers witnessed the entire event. A team leader peeking through the door also did not stop him. On the night of February 26th, Wang Conghe and another police officer whose name is unknown harassed her four times. They shoved her to the ground, sat on her, tried to pull off her clothes, and attempted to humiliate her, shouting, “I just want to rape you!”

In September 2011, her family went to Banqiao Forced Labour Camp to visit her, and she told them that Shengli Police Station officers had arrested her, ransacked her home, confiscated her personal belongings, beat her, and attempted to rape her. Based on what she said, her family members have sued Shengli Police Station, but they have not received any reply from the relevant department.

Note

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