(Minghui.org) When Mr. Shi Guoliang’s mother and sister tried to visit him in Shiling Prison in Siping City on June 28, 2013, they were told that they would not be able to see him. After repeated inquiries for nearly two hours, the guards finally told the family that Mr. Shi was hospitalized at the Xinkang Prison Hospital in Changchun.
His family rushed to the prison hospital at 3:30 p.m.; however, the hospital staff did not allow them to see Mr. Shi, with the excuse that it was already after hours.
His mother cried and told them how her son had been persecuted simply because he is a Falun Gong practitioner. She firmly said that she wouldn’t leave the hospital unless she saw her son. The hospital staff then reluctantly arranged for them to meet. Mr. Shi walked into the meeting room with much difficulty. He looked very weak and had difficulty talking. The meeting only lasted for about ten minutes before he was taken away. His family was very worried after seeing him.
Mr. Shi's mother received a phone call from the prison on June 30 saying, “Shi Guoliang is in critical condition. Come to the hospital as soon as possible!” His family then hurried to the hospital in Changchun. However, when they arrived, they were told that Mr. Shi had already been discharged.
Lied to and Deceived
Completely overwhelmed and terrified by the possible outcome, his family went to the director of the Management Bureau of the prison, a person surnamed Qu. However, no one would see them. Mr. Shi’s mother cried out at the entrance of the Management Bureau, “My son has been brutally tortured simply because he was trying to be a better person. No one cares and no one answers our questions. Those criminals who kill and rape can have a shortened term as long as they torture innocent Falun Gong practitioners. All the TV channels broadcast every day scandals abroad. I want to let all people in the world know about our experience.” Director Qu later told her, “You can see your son in the hospital tomorrow (July 1). I have arranged it.”
When Mr. Shi'’s parents went to the prison hospital the next day, they were told that no one had arranged for them to visit their son. Frustrated and angry, Mr. Shi’s mother went back to ask director Qu why he deceived them. Director Qu asked her, “Do you have a request?” Shi’s mother replied, “My son must go home!” Qu said, “We are handling his case. We will give you an answer tomorrow (July 2).”
Sentenced and Brutally Tortured
Mr. Shi Guoliang is 37 years old and is from Jijia Village, Jiutai City, Jilin Province. Because of his belief in Falun Gong's principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, he was arrested in May 2007 by police from the Nanguang District police station in Changchun City, and subsequently detained at the Changchun Third Detention Center. He was sentenced to nine years in prison by the Nanguang District Court on April 29, 2008 and imprisoned at the Shilingzi Prison in Siping City, Jilin Province. He has suffered brutal torture for the past five years because he refused to renounce his belief. As a result of the severe torture, he developed myocarditis and chest effusion, which caused him difficulty in breathing even when he walked. However, despite his poor physical condition, the guards still forced him to do intense labor. When Mr. Shi was unable to finish his work, guard Wang Haoxun and inmates Yu Yongfu and Jiang Changwei beat him until he collapsed to the ground. At around 4:00-5:00 p.m., he fell unconscious and was sent to the hospital.
Torture Re-enactment: shocked with electric batons
Stomped On and Shocked Until Unconscious
Zhou Jijia, head of the Eleventh Division of Siping Shiling Prison, ordered guards Li Jun, Li Cheng, and inmates Yan Dequan and Zheng Wei on the morning of July 6, 2012, to take Shi Guoliang to the office. At that hour, all other inmates were working outside. There were no surveillance cameras in the office where Li Jun handcuffed Shi Guoliang. Yan Dequan and Zheng Wei held him to the ground and stomped on him. Li Cheng shocked him on his neck and back with electric batons while Zhou Jijia supervised the torture. Before they used the electric batons, they poured cold water on Mr. Shi to increase the flow of electricity. Shi Guoliang fell unconscious after he had been shocked two or three times. His entire body twitched and he nearly bit his tongue off.
Even after he was unconscious, the guards didn’t send him to the hospital. At around 11:00 a.m., inmate Zheng Wei beat him again. It was later that Mr. Shi was sent to the hospital, where he received nine stitches and remained hospitalized for two weeks. Since that time he couldn’t make any sound in the morning, and it wasn't until noon that he could slowly start to speak. He often bit his tongue when he ate. As a result of the torture, he became very weak and had difficulty eating. His family has been very worried about him.
Prison Provides False Witness
According to an insider’s information, the prison attempted to order some inmates to provide false witness to claim that Mr. Shi suffered a heart attack while watching TV, instead of being shocked with electric batons and falling unconscious. They even threatened those inmates that if they didn’t cooperate, they would be punished.
Zhou Jijia is the head of the Eleventh Division of Siping Shiling Prison. He is the main perpetrator directly involved in the torture of Mr. Shi.
