(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Wang Shushen from Jinchang City, Gansu Province, was tortured to the extent that he developed heart disease symptoms and his face became disfigured. This took place within three months after being sentenced and incarcerated in prison. His family asked prison officials to release his medical report, but they have refused.
Jiuquan Prison personnel torture Falun Gong practitioners in attempts to force them to give up their beliefs in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Some of the methods used include forcing practitioners to stand for long periods of time, sleep deprivation, solitary confinement, and constant monitoring by criminal inmates as ordered by guards.
Mr. Wang was admitted to Jiuquan Prison on June 14, 2013, and put in the fourth area, where six inmates took turns monitoring him around the clock. He was deprived of sleep and forced to stand for long periods of time.
Family Tries to Intervene
Mr. Wang's family received a notification from the prison on June 28, saying that he was being held in the fourth area. They went to see him within two weeks and noticed that his face had become disfigured, and had an unhealthy pallor. He was extremely skinny, his arms and feet were swollen, and he coughed from time to time. Two inmates watched while his family was visiting with him.
His family became worried about his health and went to the political department of the prison to inquire about his situation. Officer Wang claimed that Mr. Wang's health was fine. He said that his condition was the result of military training that every inmate has to go through when they first arrive at the prison. His family asked Wang if that included standing for long periods of time and being deprived of sleep. He didn't answer, but simply read the prison rule that states, “The prison will not ill treat inmates or do anything against the law.”
Mr. Wang's family went to the prison again on July 10 to see him. Prison officials did not allow the visit, "because he has been in prison less than 30 days."
Family Harassed
Mr. Wang's family went to the prison again on September 11, and this time prison officials talked with them before they were allowed to see Mr. Wang. They were told that they couldn't talk with him about Falun Gong, or their conversation would be stopped, and they would have to leave immediately. When they saw him, their entire conversation was monitored and recorded. Later, the family was told that he had been transferred to the 13th area (a strictly monitored area) six days prior, and that an examination showed that his health was "normal."
During the first several months in the prison, Mr. Wang had three medical exams. Prison officials had falsely claimed that his health was "fine," but according to a released inmate, he had been held in a solitary cell for two months in July and August. He was transferred to the strictly monitored area after being released from solitary. While he was confined, the inmates tortured him and didn't allow him to sleep, which caused his heart disease.
Mr. Wang's Background
Wang Shushen was born in August 8, 1973. He graduated from Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology (formerly Xi'an University of Metallurgy and Architecture) with distinction. He came to know the inner meaning of the principles Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, as well as the meaning of life after he started to practice Falun Gong.
Because of his belief in Falun Gong, Chinese Communist Party officials would not allow him to do advanced studies. Mr. Wang passed the postgraduate exam in 2000, and during an interview, the interviewer said, “You can do postgraduate study if you give up Falun Gong, but you cannot do both.” Mr. Wang told him that it was not wrong to practice Falun Gong, and neither was it wrong to be a good person. He was not allowed to enter the postgraduate program.
Previous Arrest and Forced Labor Term
Officers from the Jinchang City's National Security Department arrested Mr. Wang in October 2000, in Xi'an, where he was working, and took him back to Jinchang City. He was detained in the Pingantai Forced Labor Camp in Lanzhou City for two years.
After being released, in order to make a living, he held classes for primary and high school students to help them with their supplementary studies. He charged little money, yet achieved good results.
Mr. Wang's apartment was broken in to and ransacked at about 11:00 a.m. on May 12, 2012, by police officers Li Xinhua from Jinchang City's National Security Division, Li Xuhe and Jia Delan from the Jinchuan Police Department, Li Yujun and Li Shengyun from the Guangzhou Road Police Station, and several others, along with Li Hong, an officer from the Neighborhood Committee.
When Mr. Wang returned home, the officers were still present. The police arrested him and his wife, Ms. Xie Xiaofang, and left their five-year-old son alone at home. They confiscated a computer, a printer, paper, and digital teaching materials for Chinese and chemistry.
Defense Attorneys Interfered With
Mr. Wang was tried on March 7, 2013 by the Jinchuan District Court. Two lawyers from Beijing pleaded not-guilty on his behalf. On March 6, Li Xuhe, director of the National Security Division, Jinchuan Branch, followed the lawyers in an attempt to harass them. Before the trial convened on the morning of March 7, the lawyers were required to “have a talk.” Leaders of the court and judge Li Xiangdong put pressure on the lawyers, and interfered with their defense.
Mr. Wang didn't acknowledge the first verdict and appealed to the Jinchang City Intermediate Court. His family hired an attorney from Beijing, and they asked twice in writing for a public trial. Presiding judge Xu Xing and judge Di Pengming, as well as Liu Liang dared not agree, because they were afraid that Mr. Wang would clarify the truth in court.
On June 5, the Jinchang City Intermediate Court upheld the verdict, although Mr. Wang was not notified of the verdict until June 12. At about 6:00 p.m. on June 14, he was transferred to Jiuquan Prison.
Parties Involved in Persecuting Mr. Wang: Wang Yongjun, director of the Anti-Cult Department: +86-937-2659854 (Office), +86-937-2659924 Chen Shengkai, director of the Prison Political Department: +86-937-2660714, +86-937-2657371 Zhu Fahong, team leader of the 4th area: +86-935-2610175 Pu Yongbin, political instructor: 86-935-2652627
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