Ms. Wang Meiling Suffers Blurred Vision Due to Torture at Yunnan Second Prison

Name: Wang Meiling
Gender: Female
Age: unknown
Address: Chuxiong City, Yunnan Province
Date of Most the Recent Arrest: March 10th, 2011
Most Recent Place of Detention: The Second Women's Prison
City: Kunming City
Province: Yunnan Province
Persecution Suffered: Torture, imprisonment

On August 8th, 2011, Ms. Wang Meiling was sentenced to three years in prison and incarcerated in Yunnan Second Women's Prison. Due to her family's persistent efforts, they finally were able to visit her three months later and discovered that she suffered blurred vision as a result of torture.

Ms. Wang was taken to the ninth division of the prison. As soon as she arrived, she was forced to sit for a long time. When she could not do it, the prison guard forced her to stand for over 20 days until her legs were swollen. After that, they forced her to alternate sitting and standing. The guards did not allow her to step out of the cell. She could only spend 50 yuan¹ each month. All of her purchases had to be done through a “third person” (an inmate designated to watch Falun Gong practitioners in prison). She could only purchase necessities, but not food. In the cold of winter, she was only given one barrel of water to wash her clothes. In addition, she was not allowed to practise the Falun Gong exercises or study the Falun Gong. Consequently she suffered from blurred vision.

Wang Meiling believes in the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. On March 10th, 2011, she was arrested by the police from the Chuxiong National Security Team and her home was ransacked. On May 26th, she was sentenced to three years in prison by a Chuxiong court. Despite an appeal by Wang Meiling and her daughter, the court upheld the verdict. On August 8th, 2011, she was sent to Yunnan Second Women's Prison.

Afterwards, her family repeatedly asked to visit her. However, the prison police refused their requests each time. Before the 2011 Autumn Festival, her family again attempted to see her in prison, but the officer told them that inmates could not be visited during the first three months. He told them to prepare a written application for the visit.

Her family then reported the issue to the Bureau of Prison Management. The staff in the prison administration office told them that they had to wait until the first three months had passed. When they asked about physical punishment and abuses in prison, a male staff person said, “I worked there before. It is 'civilized management.' All the staff there are highly educated and have good manners. It is not like what you just described.” Another female staff member added, “They force inmates to sit on a small stool? Have you experienced that yourself? Don't talk nonsense. If it's true, you can report to the prosecutor in prison and other departments.”

On November 16th, 2011, her family went to the prison again to visit her, but their request was rejected.

On November 22nd, 2011, her family again reported to the Bureau of Prisons. They finally were allowed to see her the next afternoon. That was when they learned how she had been persecuted in the Yunnan Province Second Prison.

Note

1. "Yuan" is the Chinese currency; 500 yuan is equal to the average monthly income of an urban worker in China.