(Minghui.org) His nickname said it all, “Bully Shang.” Mr. Shang Xiping, a former Class III Police Supervisor and deputy director of a local police station, was well known in his community for his corruption and bullying. Yet the practice of Falun Gong, especially his adherence to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, completely changed him. Mr. Shang subsequently stopped taking part in illegal activities and became a more approachable and easygoing person.

Mr. Shang Xiping, a former Class III Police Supervisor and deputy director of the Sandaogou Police Station in Heilongjiang Province

However, because of his belief in the cultivation practice that brought such him positive changes, Mr. Shang Xiping, 50, was sentenced to a ten-years prison term. He has been detained in three different prisons since 2006.

Mr. Shang was detained in the Jiamusi Prison until October 12, 2013, after which his family lost contact with him for a while. When they finally learned that he had been transferred to Hulan Prison, they requested a visit, but were denied. Only after they appealed to the Heilongjiang Province Bureau of Prison Administration, were they allowed to meet with him.

When his family was finally allowed to see him on January 8, 2014, Mr. Shang was extremely thin. He had been severely abused in prison and held in solitary confinement, which prompted his staging a protest hunger strike.

From Notorious Bully to Model Officer

Shang Xiping was deputy director of the Sandaogou Police Station before he transferred to the Police Department of Huanan Bureau of Forestry. Influenced by the environment of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) culture, he abused his position and often extorted money from others through arbitrary fines. His rude demeanor, intimidating 6-foot height, and reputation for hitting people earned him the nickname Bully Shang.

Despite his well-earned reputation, Mr. Shang was unhappy about his wife’s complaints about him. When he heard that Falun Gong promoted Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, he bought a copy of the book Zhuan Falun for his wife in 1996, hoping it might make her more tolerant of him. As he had hoped, his wife did become more amiable.

Out of curiosity, Mr. Shang began reading the book himself. The book, with its clearly defined principles of cultivation, had a miraculous affect on him, too.

Like other places in China, being a police officer in Heilongjiang Province is a lucrative job. There is always ample extra income on the gray market that the police can take advantage of. After he started practicing Falun Gong, Mr. Shang stopped beating people and arguing with others, and stopped accepting extra income and bribes. His good work ethic earned him the title of Model Police Officer almost every year. His uprightness was also well respected in the community.

Brutality at the Jiamusi Prison

After the communist party began persecuting Falun Gong in July 1999, Mr. Shang was illegally arrested and detained six times, and his wife Cheng Shujie four times, for upholding their beliefs. Additionally, they were both fired from their jobs and had almost 30,000 yuan extorted from them.

Mr. Shang was sentenced to a ten-year prison term in 2006. He was first detained in the Xianglan Prison, then transferred to the Jiamusi Prison.

The persecution became more severe on February 21, 2011, when an Intensive Unit was formed at the prison to “transform” steadfast practitioners with brutality. As a result, three practitioners died in the prison within about two weeks. Mr. Qin Yueming died on February 26 at the age of 47, Mr. Yu Yungang died on March 5 at the age of 48, and Mr. Liu Chuanjiang died on March 8 at the age of 55.

Mr. Shang was also held in the Intensive Unit. Guards and agents from the 610 Office tortured him severely, attempting to “transform” him. But Mr. Shang refused to renounce his belief. The guards thus deprived him of sleep for many days, and ordered other inmates to monitor and beat him. In addition, they increased the torment by locking the bathroom, so that he would need permission to use the toilet. Mr. Shang protested the brutality by staging a hunger strike.

Mr. Shang's wife, Ms. Cheng Shujie, along with other relatives, went to the prison on March 1, 2011, to visit him. His wife had not seen him in two years, because all previous visiting requests had been denied.

Dong Daquan, a 610 Office director who also worked in the prison, denied the request again, citing that Mr. Shang hadn't renounced his belief, and that Ms. Cheng was also a practitioner. After a long negotiation, the prison officials finally approved the family's request, under the condition that they could not mention Falun Gong during their meeting.

Mr. Shang was carried out by two prisoners. He was unshaven, looked exhausted, and was clearly in pain. He had been on a hunger strike for nine days, and was being force-fed and given I.V. injections every day. He was unable to shave or wash his face for several days, and access to toilet was still restricted.

Torture re-enactment: Brutal force-feeding

Mr. Shang was wearing a cotton-padded jacket during the meeting, with two sweaters underneath and a prison uniform on top. It looked as if he was being detained in a very cold place. With guards all around, the meeting was short. No further details about his situation were available.

Abuse Continued after Secret Transfer to Hulan Prison

Mr. Shang’s family could no longer see him after October 12, 2013. They only knew that he was no longer at Jiamusi Prison. When they visited and asked prison officials, Dong Daquan replied, “I wouldn't tell you even if I knew where he was.” He also threatened to send Mr. Shang to a remote area and torture him. Mr. Shang’s family had to return home, unsuccessful in their attempt to see him.

His family later learned that Mr. Shang had been transferred to Hulan Prison, where he was put in solitary confinement and forced-fed in the prison hospital. They requested another visit, but the prison officials ignored the requests.

In desperation, Mr. Shang’s family had no choice but to appeal to the Heilongjiang Province Prison Administration Bureau, bringing a lawsuit against Hulan Prison officials for violating China's Prison Law by denying a detainee’s family visitation rights. They also brought the case to the Provincial Congress and the Province Justice Bureau.

In the end, Hulan Prison notified Ms. Cheng on January 7, 2014 that a visit had been approved. However, she was the only one allowed to meet with Mr. Shang.

When Ms. Cheng was finally able to see Mr. Shang the following day, Mr. Shang was extremely thin. Again, with guards around, no further details were known about what had happened to him.

The couple has suffered tremendously over the past ten-plus years of persecution. When Ms. Cheng was sentenced to one year of imprisonment in 2005 without any cause, her family asked the judge on what charges she was being sentenced. The response was, “[she got that] because she is Shang Xiping’s wife.”