Bureau of Prison Administration Hides Crimes of Torture, Victim's Family Continues to Appeal

Name: Zhou Xiangyang (周向阳)
Gender: Male
Age: 38
Address: Tangshan, Hebei Province
Occupation: Cost engineer at the Third Tianjin Railway Survey and Design Institute
Date of Most Recent Arrest: March 5, 2011
Most Recent Place of Detention: Binhai Prison (滨海监狱), formerly known as Gangbei Prison (港北监狱)
City: Tianjin
Persecution Suffered: Electric shock, sleep deprivation, forced labor, brainwashing, illegal sentencing, beatings, hung up by handcuffs, solitary confinement, force-feedings, physical restraint, home ransacking, interrogation, denial of restroom use

(Clearwisdom.net) The mother and wife of Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Zhou Xiangyang from Tianjin have insisted on lodging a complaint against Binhai Prison for torturing him. They recently went to the Tianjin Prison Administration Bureau where officials told them, “It's none of our business, it's not within our jurisdiction to handle it.”

Since Mr. Zhou was arrested and taken to the Binhai Prison (formerly Gangbei Prison) in Tianjin on March 5, 2011, he has been on a hunger strike to protest the persecution. His family complained to the Binhai Prison authorities for physically abusing and mistreating Mr. Zhou, using the “floor anchor” torture on him. Binhai Prison personnel didn't stop their evil deeds. In face, they used the “floor anchor” torture on practitioner Mr. Li Xiwang, which caused his death. (See: “Mr. Li Xiwang Died in Agony as a Result of More than Ten Hours of 'Anchor Torture'” http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2011/8/24/127653.html).

Mr. Zhou's family hired two lawyers from Beijing to call on the Tianjin Prison Administration Bureau and the Tianjin No.2 Procuratorate to conduct a fair and thorough investigation of the physical abuse, mistreatment, and torture of detainees in Gangbei Prison. On August 23, the lawyers met with officers Cai and Shen from the Office of Surveillance at the Tianjin Prison Administration Bureau. The lawyers brought up the issue that Binhai Prison officials would not let them meet with their client and insulted them. They asked the Office of Surveillance to verify this and give them a reply. The Office of Surveillance did not provide the lawyers with the written reply they requested. The lawyers repeatedly lodged their complaint with the Tianjin Judicial Bureau.

On September 26, Mr. Zhou's mother and wife went to the Tianjin No. 2 Procuratorate, requesting a reply to their application to file their complaints. Zhang Zhiyuan, the person-in-charge, and director Pan told them to go to the Tianjin Political and Judiciary Committee. When Mr. Zhou's mother and wife went there, the receptionist at the Appeals Office sent them back to the No. 2 Procuratorate.

On September 27, when Mr. Zhou's mother and wife went to the No. 2 Procuratorate again, Officer Pan claimed that they had started a comprehensive investigation and would give them a fair assessment. They went to Zhang Zhiyuan and insisted on registering a case about Mr. Zhou Xiangyang being physically abused and mistreated, and requested a written reply.

That same day, Mr. Zhou's family also went to the Tianjin Prison Administration Bureau. Appeals Center head Ni told them that he was unable to handle their case and that it was no use talking to him. Mr. Zhou's mother and wife requested to meet with officers at the Office of Surveillance. Officer Cai in the guards' office said that Mr. Zhou's case was very sensitive and that the prison affairs section had given orders that Mr. Zhou's family was not allowed to visit him.

When Mr. Zhou and his wife's relatives and friends in their respective hometowns heard about this, they condemned Binhai Prison for its evil deeds and Tianjin's legal agencies for concealing the crimes and taking no action. They jointly wrote a petition letter to call for the immediate release of Mr. Zhou, who is in critical condition.

Related articles:

“Over a Thousand People in Mr. Zhou Xiangyang's Village Sign a Petition Calling for Justice”
http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2011/9/18/128180.html

"A Young Couple's Journey: Zhou Xiangyang's Fiancee Appeals Seven Years for His Release"
http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2011/6/26/126261.html

"A Mother's Cry for Justice"
http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2011/6/24/126227.html

"Mr. Zhou Xiangyang's Family Files Lawsuit Against Gangbei Prison"
http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2011/9/6/127877.html

Parties responsible for the persecution of Mr. Zhou Xiangyang:

Office of Surveillance, Tianjin Prison Administration Bureau: [phone]
Appeals Center of the Tianjin No. 2 Procuratorate: [phone]
Binhai Prison Ward No. 5
Zhang Shilin, head: [phone]

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