Family Awarded 200,000 Yuan for Woman’s Death in Detention Centre

A woman in Jiutai District, Changchun City died four days after she was arrested for talking to people about Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime. Her son sued the local police and was recently awarded 200,000 yuan.

Ms. Yu Guixiang’s son once urged police to not detain his mother when they called to inform him of her arrest on June 16, 2017. The young man, who was travelling out of town with his father at the time, told police that his mother used to suffer from diabetes and a stroke, and he worried that she might have a relapse.

The Jiutai police ignored the warning and sent Ms. Yu to the Jiutai Detention Centre without having her undergo the required medical evaluation.

According to Ms. Dai Yaoqi, another Falun Gong practitioner seized at the same time, Ms. Yu began to experience chest pain shortly after their arrest. The police provided no medical attention and claimed that they must send both women to the detention centre, which could release them later.

Ms. Yu and Ms. Dai weren’t given any food at the detention centre the next day, as they refused to wear detainee uniforms.

Ms. Yu suddenly passed out the following night (June 18), and Ms. Dai rushed to call the guards on duty, who gave Ms. Yu a few pills. Ms. Yu came to about half an hour later but remained disoriented.

When the detention centre director came to work on Monday, June 19, Ms. Dai told him police once promised to have her and Ms. Yu released by the detention centre. The director called the police to confirm but never got back to Ms. Dai. He also promised to find a doctor for Ms. Yu, but no physician was ever sent in.

Ms. Yu woke up the next morning to use the restroom. Ms. Dai walked her there and waited outside. She heard heavy breathing and rushed inside, but Ms. Yu had collapsed before she could grab her.

There was no medical staff in the detention centre, and Ms. Yu had already passed away by the time an ambulance arrived. She was 65.

The police initially attempted to censor the news of Ms. Yu’s death, but her family soon found out and began their arduous journey to seek justice for her.