(Minghui.org) Ms. Pei Shanzhen, 73, a retired teacher from Shanghai, was released from Shanghai Women's Prison on December 13, 2016. She was pale, thin, and needed help to walk.
She was incarcerated for over 10 years in total since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began to persecute Falun Gong in July 1999.
Her last arrest occurred on June 14, 2012, for writing letters to her neighbors about Falun Gong, and how it is being persecuted. For this, she was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison.
Ms. Pei was taken to the Shanghai Women's Prison on January 8, 2013. She refused to have her photo taken as part of the prison entry procedure, as she knows that practicing Falun Gong is not a crime, and that she is not a criminal. Instead she shouted, "Believing in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is not a crime!"
Three or four people rushed over, pushed her down to the ground, pinched her neck and cheeks, and pulled her hair. They tied her up and taped her mouth. She was then dragged to the prison area set aside for newcomers.
She was transferred to the strictly controlled 5th prison district in March 2013. The guards demanded that she write a statement denouncing Falun Gong, which she refused. She was verbally abused by two inmates who were assigned to monitor her. They also deprived her of sleep.
Several months later the prison guards demanded that she have her photo taken. She refused and said loudly, “Believing in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is not a crime!” For that, she was locked in solitary confinement for several months.
The guards took her to an intense brainwashing session during the second half of 2015. She was locked in a small room for more than 10 hours every day. They had her sit on a small stool and watch videos that slandered Falun Gong. She was beaten by the inmates whenever she tried to move her neck or legs to reduce the pain and numbness caused by sitting for hours.
As ordered by the prison guard, two inmates forced her to sit straight on a small stool while holding a piece of paper between her knees and under her arm pits. When the paper dropped down, the inmates pulled her hands and legs so violently that her prison uniform was torn apart twice.
She had to report to the inmates when she wanted to use the restroom. The words were scripted, “I am a prisoner. I committed the crime of ... I'm asking for permission to use … I sincerely hope to get your approval.” Her requests were often denied with the excuse that it was too early or too late. The inmates claimed that they were only following the prison guards' orders.
One time a male prison guard, who claimed to be from Beijing, talked to her. During the second meeting, a video camera had been set up in the meeting room. When she refused to sit down, the head of the prison district called in three inmates. They tried to push her down. When she refused, the head called in three more inmates. The six inmates tried to force her to sit, but she did not cooperate. The meeting was canceled. She was tied up for three days. Afterwards, she could barely walk, eat, or sleep.
The prison authorities transferred her to the training ward in July 2016. She was forced to perform drills for three hours in the morning and fold blankets in the afternoon.
The prison authorities threatened to arrest her again before Ms. Pei was released, if she filed any complaints against former Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin, who initiated the persecution of Falun Gong.
Earlier reports:After Lengthy Prison Sentence, Former School Teacher Faces More HarassmentRetired Teacher Appears Pale and Dull After Three Months' Ban of Family Visitation