Ms. Zhang Chunxian Tortured at Forced Labour Camp; Her Lawyer Not Permitted to See Her

Name: Zhang Chunxian
Gender: Female
Age: unknown
Address: Tang County, Baoding City, Hebei Province
Occupation: unknown
Date of Most Recent Arrest: April 13th, 2012
Most Recent Place of Detention: Hebei Province Women's Forced Labour Camp
Province: Hebei
Persecution Suffered: Forced labour, brainwashing, beatings, torture

Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Zhang Chunxian was arrested on April 13th, 2012, and later transferred to Hebei Province Women's Forced Labour Camp for one year of detention. When her family visited her on June 5th, Ms. Zhang told them that inmate Zhang Nana was verbally and physically assaulting her. Furthermore, the guards seemed to back up the inmate. Guards and officials at the forced labour camp have been interfering with Ms. Zhang's lawyer by not allowing him to see her.

Detained for a Year and Tortured

A dozen police officers, including officer Wang Zongxue from Beiluo Town Police Station, forced their way into Ms. Zhang's home, ransacked it and arrested her early in the morning on April 13th, 2012. Seven days later, on April 20th, Ms. Zhang was transferred to Hebei Province Women's Forced Labour Camp.

When her family visited her on June 5th, Ms. Zhang was in low spirits, had messy hair, and was on the verge of tears. When they asked if she had been mistreated, she said that the inmate who shares the same cell with her frequently tortured her. The inmate was in her twenties and possibly a drug addict. Ms. Zhang said that on one occasion, the inmate grabbed her hair and slammed her head into a wall. She even threatened Ms. Zhang by saying that she would viciously beat her if Ms. Zhang pressed charges against her. The inmate's arrogance and impunity from punishment for her actions suggests that the guards instigated the torture of Ms. Zhang.

Guards Obstruct Ms. Zhang's Lawyer

After Ms. Zhang was sent to Hebei Province Women's Forced Labour Camp, her family hired a lawyer to request administrative reconsideration. On April 25th, Ms. Zhang's family and the lawyer tried to visit her. When they got to the front gate of the forced labour camp, the guard deliberately delayed the lawyer, and even began cursing at him. Later, two people from the management department came out and Ms. Zhang's lawyer showed them his lawyer's card, the family's power of attorney form, and other related documents. Ms. Zhang's family and the lawyer were nonetheless still not allowed to see her. The lawyer was told to produce proof that he didn't practise Falun Gong. Otherwise, he would not be allowed to see Ms. Zhang.

Later, the lawyer and Ms. Zhang's family went to the Hebei Province Consolidated Management Bureau of Labour Re-education to inquire about the relative provision. However, they didn't get any positive response and were told to wait for their call. They were later informed that they needed to look for the relative provision because it was a 610 Office (an organisation of special agents just for persecuting Falun Gong) provision.

On May 28th, Ms. Zhang's family and lawyer went to the forced labour camp for their appointment with the management department. The lawyer's agent had made the 2:00 p.m. appointment in advance with the management department, however when they arrived at the main gate that day, no one from the forced labour camp's management came to meet them. The lawyer then called the management department, but no one answered for some time. When someone did answer the phone, the person claimed he/she didn't work in the management department.

They later found a person from the management department through the Hebei Province Labour Re-education bureau. The person took all the required documents and told Ms. Zhang's family and lawyer to wait outside. One and a half hours later, the person returned and told them they could not see Ms. Zhang because the police station certificate didn't indicate that the lawyer wasn't a Falun Gong practitioner.

The lawyer then contacted the assistant director at the forced labour camp, Fong Kezhuang, and told her about the problem. However, she hung up the phone and didn't let him finish what he had to say. The lawyer has repeatedly called the forced labour camp, but no one answers the phone.