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Falun Gong Practitioners Subjected to Severe Abuse in Sichuan's Jiazhou Prison

June 5, 2015 |   By a Minghui correspondent in Sichuan Province, China

(Minghui.org) "You will weaken in three days, collapse by the end of the week, be bedridden in two weeks, and feel like you are in hell in a month – this will be the fate of all male Falun Gong practitioners who refuse to sign the three statements within the time set by the prison."

This is how practitioners are threatened when they first reach the admission area of Jiazhou Prison.

Located in Leshan City, Sichuan Province, the Jiazhou Prison was previously known as Wumaping Prison and absorbed the Shawan Prison in August 2014.

The Structure of Jiazhou Prison

Jiazhou Prison was designated as the central location for imprisoning the province's male Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) committee in Sichuan, CCP Political and Legal Affairs Committee in Sichuan and Sichuan 610 Office.

There are 11 wards in the prison, including a hospital ward. Some of the wards manufacture products such as clothes and network adapters.

Each ward holds about 360 inmates, with two team leaders, two instructors, and at least 18 other guards, police officers, and staff members.

There is also a "concentrated training team" and a prison admission section, known as the 9th ward. The 9th ward, which was created in January 2014, is also known for a place where Falun Gong practitioners are subjected to systematic abuse.

When practitioners get to the 9th ward, team captains and inmates issue the threats above.

Methods of Torture

The prison education division is in charge of "transforming" practitioners. Practitioners are pressured to write the three statements - repentance statement, exposing and criticizing statement, and guarantee statement - and give up their faith.

Those who refuse to write them within the time limit set by the prison are forced to stand or sit at attention for a long time. The prison also pressures the practitioners' family members to threaten them.

Practitioners that refuse to write the three statements are tortured with beatings, tear gas and pepper spray in the eyes, electric shocks on sensitive body parts, sleep deprivation, physical restraints, etc.

Practitioners' mealtimes are restricted to 20 seconds. When practitioners were held in Wumaping Prison, they were told to sit on the floor, place their bowls on the floor, bend over, and eat like an animal. The guards would count to 20 before taking the bowl away. Those who were slow didn't even get a mouthful of rice. They are then forced to sit at attention after mealtime.

Examples of Practitioners Severely Persecuted in Jiazhou Prison

Mr. Tan Degang (谭德刚) of Niejiang City was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. He was sent to the Leshan Wumaping Prison around March 14, 2013, and assigned to the 8th ward in May 2013. He was severely tortured and diagnosed with liver cancer. His family applied for him to be released on medical parole in mid November 2014 when they learned that he was critically ill. The application was approved in January 2015.

Even though he was critically ill at home, the police gave him a cell phone and instructed him to keep it on around the clock so that they could monitor his movements. Mr. Tan passed away on March 8, 2015.

Mr. Liu Yongsheng (刘永生) was sent to Wumaping Prison in October 2013. He had to sit at attention for two months and stand at attention for three months. He was later only allowed to sleep two hours a day. He had to stand for 17 days for the rest of the time. He became very weak. However, prison police still shocked him with electric batons.

He was also forced to do manual labor, was sprayed with tear gas, had to stand in the scorching sun, was beaten, and was only allowed 20 seconds to eat.

Practitioners Mr. Deng Qixing (邓启兴), Mr. Mu Zhitai (母志太), Mr. Xie Chengguo (谢诚国), Mr. Huang Dingcheng (黄定诚), Mr. Zhang Jun (章军), and Mr. Ming Shaolin (明少林) were also subjected to these methods of torture.

Contact Information for the Parties Involved:

Liu Zhicheng (刘志诚), director of Sichuan Prison administration bureau: +86-28-86658966, +86-28-86716151, +86-28-86310851, +86-28-86310863Zhang Wei (张伟), in charge of Law and Regulations Department: +86-28-86652562Zhu Wei (祝伟), secretary and warden of Sichuan Jiazhou Prison: +86-833-2349097, +86-833-2349089, +86-833-2349382, +86-833-2349088, +86-833-2349049Tian Yi (田义), deputy warden of Jiazhou Prison and in charge of "transforming" practitioners: +86-833-4379003

Please refer to the original Chinese article for more people involved in the persecution.