Yang Manzhi Subjected to "Death Bed" Torture in Benxi Forced Labour Camp

Compiled from information provided by practitioners released from Benxi Forced Labour Camp

The so-called "Law Education Centre" is actually a site for long-term persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners. As part of the coercive brainwashing, camp wardens have repeatedly forced practitioners to listen to, watch, read, and write materials that criticise Falun Dafa. Camp wardens hired collaborators¹ to persecute firm practitioners. Those in charge deprive practitioners of sleep, force them to perform hard labour, and torture them in various ways. The steadfast practitioners were put into solitary confinement or tied to a "death bed²." The death bed involves strait-lacing the victim's limbs and trunk with thin nylon cords to a bed frame for a long time. The cords can obstruct breathing and cut into the flesh. Practitioners on hunger strike are force fed.

On the afternoon of May 17th, 2007, Meng Lingxin, a manager at the Benxi Forced Labour Camp, inspected the sixth team. Practitioner Yang Manzhi said he was a Dafa practitioner and was not guilty. He also refused to be searched. Meng Lingxin snarled, "Are you special?" Meng then struck Mr. Yang's head five to six times with a folder. Afterwards Meng ordered several camp wardens to put him in solitary confinement. Mr. Yang went on a hunger strike to protest. At around 8:00 a.m. on May 21st, Assistant Training Director Liu Shiben, General Manager Meng Lingxin, the chief of Admissions and Security Department, the leader of the Education Team, and Guan Kai from the Law Education Team ganged up to persecute him. They dragged Mr. Yang to a cell at the very end of the second floor in the camp clinic. They stripped off his trousers and underwear and bound him to a death bed made of two single beds. Once tied down, he was not released to use the toilet or to be force fed. This torture is excruciating.

Mr. Yang was monitored by three reform assistants, who force fed him and emptied his bedpan. Later, Warden Zheng Kai threatened Mr. Yang and attempted to force him to write the so-called three statements³. Yang was tortured for eight days, from May 21st-29th. On the morning of May 29th, wardens untied him from the death bed. Yang limped for over a month afterwards.

On June 18th, Mr. Yang was sent to the notorious "Law Education Team." The leader, Liu Shaoshi, appointed Ding Huibo to abuse Mr. Yang. Mr. Yang was forced to repeatedly watch videos that insulted Master. During this time, Zheng Kai talked with Mr. Yang several times and threatened to tie him to the death bed again if he refused to quit practising Falun Dafa. Ding Huibo was one of the most vicious individuals in Benxi Forced Labour Camp. He talked with Mr. Yang many times and assaulted him when no warden was around.

Other practitioners subjected to the death bed torture included Wang Yuzhu for seven days in June and Liu Guangqing in mid August.

Practitioner Liu Chengguo was put in solitary confinement three times. The longest lasted about 30 days, from May 8th to June 9th.

Practitioner Wang Yuzhu was put in solitary confinement on June 15th, 2007, and was tied to the death bed for seven days.

Beginning July 26th, 2007, practitioner Zhang Zhigang was detained in solitary confinement for 21 days.

From June 27th to July 17th, practitioner Liu Guangqing was detained in solitary confinement for 25 days. Later he was subjected to the death bed torture.

The solitary confinement cell is a windowless brick rectangle 3.6 m long, 1.1 m wide, and 1.7 m high (11.8 ft x 3.6 ft x 5.6 ft). Its small door also serves as the only source of ventilation. The cell has a urinal, a filthy quilt, and a torn mattress.

This article reports only a small fraction of the abuse of Falun Dafa practitioners in Benxi Forced Labour Camp.

Benxi Forced Labour Camp personnel that participate in the abuse of practitioners
General manager Meng Lingxin
Deputy directors Zheng Tao, Guo Tieying, Zhao Wenyu
Director of Law Education Centre Liu Shaoshi
Political commissar Assistant training director Liu Shiben
Instructor Zhang Zhongshi
Wardens Zheng Kai, Su Zhengwei, Wang Zhiduo, Ma Chao, Ding Huibo, Han Changlu

Note

1. "Collaborators": Former practitioners who have turned against Falun Gong under brainwashing and torture. They are then made to assist in brainwashing and torturing practitioners.

2. "Death Bed" torture: A practitioner is tied to a bed with his hands handcuffed above his head to the bed rails, and his legs tied with thin nylon ropes. The rope is then tightly wrapped around the practitioner's body and the bed, from his legs to his chest. The rope is wrapped so tightly that the practitioner has difficulty breathing and eventually loses consciousness.

3. "Three Statements": Practitioners are coerced under brainwashing and torture to write "Repentance Statement," "Guarantee Statement" or 'Dissociation Statement" as proof that they have given up their belief. In the statement, the practitioner is forced to admit remorse for practising Falun Gong, promise to give up Falun Gong, and never again associate with other practitioners or go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/10/8/164119.html