(Minghui.org)
Name: Zhang XiuxiangChinese Name: 张秀香Gender: FemaleAge: in her 70sCity: ChangchunProvince: JilinOccupation: UnknownDate of Death: November 5, 2023Date of Most Recent Arrest: April 7, 2015Most Recent Place of Detention: Jilin Province Women’s Prison
A Changchun City, Jilin Province, resident passed away on November 5, 2023 as a result the persecution of her faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been targeted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Zhang Xiuxiang was arrested on April 7, 2015 and sentenced to 3.5 years on October 27, 2015. She endured relentless torture while serving time in the Jilin Province Women’s Prison. When she was released on October 7, 2018, she struggled with poor health. Even after she became incapacitated, the police still went to her home to harass her. She passed away on November 5, 2023. She was in her 70s.
Below is Ms. Zhang’s own account, given in 2018, of the persecution she endured in prison.
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When I arrived at the prison, the prison authorities ordered other prisoners to strip me naked. They forced me to hold a criminal number plate and took photos of me undressed. I was then not allowed to wear undergarments beneath my jacket and trousers.
I was required to sit up straight on a plastic stepstool without moving or talking. Prisoners appointed by guards roared at me and verbally abused me. – December 7, 2016
I was forced to sit for many days while I was pressured incessantly to give up practicing Falun Gong. The prisoners took turns forcing me to listen to and watch brainwashing videos. It was severe mental and physical abuse.
In 2018, a new prison warden surnamed An arrived. He was even crueler than the previous warden. He tortured Falun Gong practitioners who refused to give up their belief by forcing them to sit and balance on a small stool for long periods of time. They were required to sit up straight without speaking or moving. They were abused and beaten by prisoners for any transgression. Practitioners' meals were meager—just a small amount of rice and pickled vegetables.– April 20, 2018
I was forced to sit on a small stool from early morning until night. Another prisoner brought me a meal of rice and pickles. I was given only enough water to rinse my mouth after each meal. – July 13, 2018
I was not permitted to keep up my hygiene—I could not brush my teeth, wash my face, bathe, shampoo my hair, or wash my clothes.
In the heat of summer, I was forced to sit on the stool while soaked in sweat. I wore the same clothes for one month. The strong odor permeated the prison cell, which incited the criminal prisoners to abuse me and others.
We were forced to sit motionless for over 16 hours each day in temperatures over 95 degrees Fahrenheit. We were allowed to use the toilet only three times during the sitting period. Day by day, the prolonged sitting caused my buttocks to develop blisters, which became infected. I dared not sit due to the excruciating pain.
I was allowed to stand up and shower only once a month. I was forced to sit for months until I was released on October 7, 2018.
There were other Falun Gong practitioners who suffered even more brutal torture. Some were made to sit for the entire day, from 4 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Falun Gong practitioners are good people who conduct themselves according to the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Government employees treat us cruelly, yet they do not use such torture methods on convicts. They have lost their humanity and conscience; ultimately, they will only bring harm to themselves.
According to information collected by Minghui.org, at least 600 Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in the Jilin Province Women’s Prison since 2000, with one practitioner serving the longest term of 19 years. At least 29 practitioners were persecuted to death, 5 became disabled and 9 suffered mental breakdowns.
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