(Minghui.org)
Summary of Key Persecution Facts:
Name: Zhang Juying (张菊英)
Gender: Female
Age: 67
Address: 3rd Commune, Baiyun Village, Jinyu Township, Guanghan City, Sichuan Province
Occupation: Farmer
Date of Most Recent Arrest: July 24, 2008
Most Recent Place of Detention: Sichuan Women's Prison in the Yangmahe area of Jianyang City (简阳养马河四川女子监狱)
City: Jianyang City
Province: Sichuan Province
Persecution Suffered: Detention, illegal sentencing, imprisonment, forced labor, beatings, torture, brainwashing, force-feedings, sleep deprivation, home ransacked
Ms. Zhang Juying from Guanghan City, Sichuan Province, started to practice Falun Gong in November 1998. Soon thereafter, the numerous illnesses she had suffered from before all disappeared. Since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began to persecute Falun Gong in 1999, she has been repeatedly persecuted for her faith by the Guanghan City 610 Office, police and other agencies.
Below is a summary of how Ms. Zhang was illegally arrested and detained in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympic Games. She was subsequently sentenced and suffered inhumane torture while being incarcerated in the Sichuan Province Women's Prison.
Arrested and Imprisoned for Peaceful Belief
On the morning of July 24, 2008, Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Liao Wuxiang grabbed a bag of freshly harvested corn and went to visit Ms. Zhang. She was followed by some CCP agents, who coordinated with the Jinyu Town Police Station to arrest her.
After arresting Ms. Liao, the police came to Ms. Zhang's home. They pried open the door and ransacked the property, confiscating informational materials about Falun Gong, copies of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and Minghui Weekly, and other personal belongings.
The officers broke into Ms. Zhang's bedroom and arrested Ms. Zhang, handcuffing and taking her to the police station. In the afternoon, they transferred her to the Guanghan Detention Center.
One officer said, “We will just detain you for a few days. After the Beijing Olympic Games finish, we will release you.”
After the Beijing Olympic Games, the police asked Ms. Zhang, “Are you still planning to practice Falun Gong?” She said yes. Authorities then colluded to fabricate charges against her.
On December 4, 2008, the Guanghan City Court sentenced Ms. Zhang to four and a half years in prison. She was imprisoned in Division No. 8 of the Sichuan Province Women's Prison on March 5, 2009.
Inhumanely Tortured and Abused
When Ms. Zhang arrived at the prison, several inmates were assigned to monitor her. The guards also attempted to force her to recite the prison rules. Ms. Zhang said, “I did not commit any crime. I won't recite them.”
Because of this, Ms. Zhang was not allowed to sleep. To prevent her from falling asleep, one of the inmates inserted toothpicks to keep her eyelids from closing.
Torture demonstration: sticks inserted to keep eyelids open to prevent practitioner from sleeping
The inmates assigned to monitor her also forced her to do the prison morning exercises. They beat her if she refused.
Once, Ms. Zhang went to wash her bowl without asking the permission from the inmates assigned to watch her. The inmates brutally beat her and then dragged her to guard He Xiaohong's office.
He Xiaohong and others covered Ms. Zhang's mouth with tape, handcuffed her and hung her up on the rail of the stairs. She was subjected to this torture for a week. During the first four days, she was hung up until midnight. For the last three days, she was hung up until 10 p.m. She was only let down for lunch each day.
Because Ms. Zhang refused to renounce her faith and be “transformed,” she was handcuffed and hung up three more times. The first two times her feet could still touch the ground. The third time she was hung up so high that her feet could not reach the ground. The handcuffs embedded deeply into her flesh, causing bleeding. The scars on her wrists are still visible today.
Torture demonstration: handcuffed and hung up
Guard Chen Hong often punished Ms. Zhang by making her stand for a long time. Everyday after Ms. Zhang finished slave labor, she was forced to stand until 10 or 11p.m., and sometimes until midnight.
Once, for doing the Falun Gong exercises, two inmates tied her to the bed under the orders of the prison guards. Her arms and legs were fully stretched, and she could not move at all.
A kind and peaceful person was persecuted to this extent simply for believing in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the three pillars of Falun Gong.
Related article:
Practitioner Zhang Juying from Guanghan City, Sichuan Province, Sentenced to Prison Again
