Liaoning Woman Imprisoned 2.5 Years for Distributing Falun Gong Informational Materials

(Minghui.org) Ms. Liu Chunlan of Fushun City, Liaoning Province, was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison in January 2019 for her faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice also known as Falun Dafa that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999. She was imprisoned at Liaoning Women’s Prison where she was subjected to brainwashing and corporal punishments.

Ms. Liu suffered from severe arthritis and heart problems after her son was born. She depended on her elderly parents to care for her. After practicing Falun Gong, she completely recovered, and could take care of her parents.

On April 23, 2018, Ms. Liu was arrested for distributing Falun Gong informational materials. She was taken to Fushun Jianshe Police Station to be interrogated and have her photo taken. That night, she was transferred to Nangou Detention Center where she was subjected to physical exam and had her blood drawn. She was ridiculed, forced to stand every day and denied the use of the restroom. Her parents in their 80s called for her release.

Ms. Liu was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison by Wanghua District Court in January 2019. The Fushun City Intermediate Court rejected her appeal and upheld the verdict. 

On April 16, 2019, Ms. Liu was taken to the No. 8 Division in Liaoning Women’s Prison. With instructions from the captain, Cao Tuo, production group leader Jin Bailing instigated two inmates to forcefully transform Ms. Liu. She was forced to work during the day and squat in a corner with everyone looking at her after returning to the cell. The inmates hit her arm with a broom when she refused to squat; they threatened to give her a hard time.

Ms. Liu was not allowed to talk to anyone, and had her movement restricted. When she refused to cooperate, the two inmates humiliated her and reported her to Cao. Cao forced Ms. Liu to attend brainwashing classes on the weekends, while other inmates were taking a break. They took her to a small dark room with no surveillance camera and forced her to squat. They first chatted with her before threatening her. Then, they took a pen and paper and ordered Ms. Liu to write a statement to renounce Falun Gong. She refused. One of the inmates then wrote for her, while another was on watch. After finishing writing quickly, the paper was submitted to Jin.

A few days later, Ms. Liu was working in the workshop when Jin called her over and told her that Cao said the renouncing statement was not acceptable as the handwriting was different. They tried to get Ms. Liu to write a new one, but she refused. 

Jin called Ms. Liu over again a few days later. She took Ms. Liu’s hand to press a few thumbprints on a prepared statement.

“You’d better not do this. It doesn’t do you good to persecute practitioners,” Ms. Liu told Jin.

“It’s alright. I’m here to do this. You’ve passed,” Jin said.

Ms. Liu insisted that she wouldn’t acknowledge this.

In August 2019, the authorities in Liaoning expanded its prison capacity by adding a second women’s prison in the province. The original Liaoning Women’s Prison now became Liaoning Province No. 1 Women’s Prison and the building next door was designated as the Liaoning Province No. 2 Women’s Prison. The No. 8 Division, where Ms. Liu was held, was moved to the No. 2 prison in November 2019.

During the pandemic in March 2020, Ms. Liu and another practitioner wrote a solemn declaration to say that they do not acknowledge the persecution and the renouncing statements, and handed it to the section chief. When Jin learned of it, she scolded them and instructed everyone in the cell to monitor them, and not talk to them. The two of them were also not allowed to talk to anyone, including the inmates who were assigned to monitor them. 

Ms. Liu was released on October 23, 2020 after serving her term.