(Minghui.org) Ever since the persecution of Falun Gong began in July 1999, law-abiding citizens have been arrested and sent to detention centers, labor camps, brainwashing centers, or prisons simply for their belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the core principles of this spiritual practice.

While in custody, some practitioners use hunger strikes as a non-violent means to protest the illegal detention and the constant pressure to give up their practice of Falun Gong.

In response, the Chinese authorities order the hunger strikers be force-fed.

Make no mistake, though, this is brutal forced-feeding carried out with the sole purpose to make practitioners suffer as much as possible so that they will eventually give in and renounce Falun Gong.

Not a Medical Procedure

Far different from the medical feeding procedure that is used to save lives, Chinese police and guards force-feed practitioners with harmful substances, including highly-concentrated salt solutions, hot-pepper-laced-broth, high-proof liquor, detergent, and even urine and feces. Unknown drugs that damage the central nervous system are also part of the force-feeding cocktail.

The persecutors often do whatever it takes to inflict the most harm, like pulling the feeding tube back and forth, leaving the tube in the stomach for extended periods of time, or prying the mouth open with pliers or drills, all of which causing agonizing pain.

In addition, a host of other methods of torture are either used in conjunction with forced-feeding as a means to restrain practitioners, or applied alone as an alternative way to torment practitioners on hunger strikes.

The barbaric forced-feeding and other torture often cause long-lasting injury, both physically and mentally. Some practitioners have even died as a result of complications incurred during forced-feeding.

Unfortunately, such abuse is a commonplace in China’s detention facilities.

What follows is a report about how detention centers across the Dalian Area in Liaoning Province retaliate against practitioners on hunger strikes. According to available statistics, forced-feeding has caused at least five deaths, and serious injuries to nine practitioners.

Five Deaths as a Result of Forced-feeding

The five Dalian practitioners who died as a result of forced-feeding were Mr. Feng Gang, Mr. Gu Qun, Mr. Cao Yuqiang, Ms. Li Xiumei, and Ms. Chi Yulian.

Feng Gang and His Wife Wang Juan

During his hunger strike, Mr. Feng Gang was force-fed daily at Yaojia Detention Center. The guards once left the feeding tube in his stomach for up to 48 hours at a time. They handcuffed his hands behind his back to prevent him from pulling the tube out. Even when his esophagus became ruptured and infected, they still kept force-feeding him.

Mr. Feng died on August 14, 2009.

For more information, see
The Tragic Death of Feng Gang

Mr. Gu Qun

Mr. Gu Qun died just 23 days after he was sent to Dalian City Detention Center on March 17, 2008. He was only 50 years old when he perished on April 8, 2009.

For more information, see
Mr. Gu Qun Dies in Yaojia Detention Center in Dalian City, Liaoning Province

Cao Yuqiang

Mr. Cao Yuqiang once held a 95-day hunger strike at Pulandian City Detention Center before he was released. Sadly, though, the forced-feeding caused irreversible damage, and he passed away at home at 6:00 p.m. on April 8, 2004, within a year of his release.

For more information, see
Practitioner Mr. Cao Yuqiang Dies as a Result of Persecution (Photo)

Ms. Li Xiumei

While detained in Yaojia Detention Center, Ms. Li Xiumei was brutally force-fed and severely injured. She died on the morning of December 16, 2001, despite emergency medical care.

For more information, see
Senior Practitioner Li Xiumei From Dalian City Is Tortured to Death at Yaojia Detention Center

Ms. Chi Yulian

Ms. Chi Yulian was only 44 when she died in Dalian City Detention Center on June 5, 2001.

For more information, see
Press Statement: The Death of Mrs. Yulian Chi in a Chinese Detention Center
Falun Dafa Practitioner Chi Yulian Murdered by Dalian Policemen
Our Great Fellow Practitioner Chi Yulian

Nine other practitioners who were also brutally force-fed managed to escape death, but they were left with critical injuries. In order to shirk responsibility, their respective detention facilities released them home.

These practitioners include Ding Zhenfang (who later died at Liaoning Women’s Prison) and Pan Qi from Dalian City, Cong Pijing, Liu Xiyong, Qu Bin, Sun Yuzhen, Yuan Yuchun and Zhao Guiqin from Jinzhou District, and Wu Yueju from Pulandian City.

Force-feeding with the Intent to Harm

In order to further torment practitioners on hunger strikes, the guards in Dalian detention centers went all out to make their captives suffer during force-feeding. They often instigated non-practitioner inmates to abuse practitioners as well. Those who were sympathetic to practitioners were reprimanded or penalized.

Incorrectly Inserting the Feeding Tube

In July 2005, Su Ying, a doctor at Dalian City Detention Center, inserted the feeding tube into practitioner Mr. Pan Qi’s trachea and almost suffocated him. When Mr. Pan reported this incident to guard Wang Tao and director Meng, he was told it was no big deal.

In July 2012, a guard at Jinzhou District Detention Center inserted the feeding tube into practitioner Mr. Qu Bin’s trachea by accident, causing excruciating pain. Mr. Qu fought for his life and spit out blood.

Though the guard pulled out the tube after realizing his mistake, he was not apologetic and simply blurted out, “Well, we're supposed to make him suffer. It’d be no fun if it didn't hurt at all.”

Without any hesitation, the guard continued the forced-feeding. When everything was done, Mr. Qu was so weak that two inmates had to carry him downstairs back to his cell.

For more information on Mr. Qu’s plight, see
Mr. Qu Bin Severely Persecuted in Yaojia Detention Center

Pulling the Feeding Tube Back and Forth

Guards often intentionally pull the feeding tube back and forth, often rupturing the esophagus. The rubbing of the tube against the broken tissues inside the mouth and esophagus in turn caused excruciating pain.

Leaving the Feeding Tube in for Extended Periods of Time

It is not uncommon for the guards to leave the feeding tube inside the practitioner’s body for extended periods of time. When the practitioner took a deep breath or changed position, the tube would then have contact with the stomach, causing excruciating pain. Stomach tissue often grew around the end of the tube after it was left there for too long. When it was finally pulled out, the tube had usually turned black.

When some practitioners detained in Dalian City Detention Center complained about labored breathing and asked that the tube be removed, the guards flat-out declined, claiming, “You’ll die either way, so it’s easier for us to just leave the tube in your stomach!”

Ms. Liu Fang once had the feeding tube left in for a whole day. When the tube was finally removed, it was covered in blood, as were her mouth and nostrils.

Additionally, a drug offender used a toothbrush to poke Ms. Liu’s mouth and poured cold water on her. She was soaked wet and shivering after a brutal forced-feeding session.

Prying the Mouth Open with Tools

When Mr. Cong Zhongxiao was on a hunger strike in Dalian City Detention Center, his cellmates blindfolded him, pinched his nose shut, and pried his mouth open with a toothbrush. His teeth were loosened, and his lips and mouth were torn and bleeding.

The guards also ordered Mr. Cong’s cellmates to pour cold water on him multiple times a day. They didn’t allow him to sleep or use the restroom. To humiliate him, they even spit in his face.

Zheng Shiyue, the doctor at Jinzhou District Detention Center, tried to pry open practitioners’ mouths with pliers. When that failed, she used a drill. Many practitioners had their teeth broken or fall out as a result of this abuse.

Li Jiquan, the doctor at Zhuanghe City Detention Center used a screwdriver to pry open Ms. Wang Dandan’s mouth and then grabbed her teeth with a pair of pliers. Ms. Wang’s hands were cuffed and her feet shackled during the whole forced-feeding process. After everything was done, she spit out great quantities of blood.

Force-feeding Practitioners with Harmful Substances

Guards at Dalian detention centers force-fed practitioners with harmful substances, including salty water, sesame oil, hot pepper laced-broth, high-proof liquor, detergent, and even urine and feces. Unknown drugs that damage the central nervous system were also used.

At Dalian City Detention Center, practitioners were force-fed a drug that causes memory loss. Many practitioners became disoriented and had no recollection of what happened to them.

Torture illustration (painting): Force-feeding with unknown drugs

After he was sent to Jinzhou District Detention Center in April 2006, Mr. Liu Xiyong went on a hunger strike and was force-fed unknown drugs. He had abdominal swelling and couldn’t walk or take care of himself.

When Mr. Liu was sent to the same detention center for a second time in July 2008, the guards force-fed him high-concentration salty water. He was in so much pain that he couldn’t stop shaking. His hunger strike lasted a total of 60 days. When he was later transferred to the prison, he couldn’t walk and was carried to the police vehicle.

For more information on Mr. Liu’s ordeal, see
Liu Xiyong, a Peasant in Dalian, Persecuted for Two Years in a Forced Labor Camp and Three and a Half Years in Prison

In August 2012, Mr. Che Zhongshan was force-fed sesame oil. He had blood in his stool and constant stomach pain afterwards. During his hunger strike, he lost 70 pounds and was sent to the hospital a total of five times.

Ms. Yuan Yuchun also suffered greatly from forced-feeding. She was given extremely salty water for ten days straight. As a result, she couldn’t straighten her arms and legs and her body became stiff. Even after her release, she still had salty mucus dripping out of her nose and mouth. She also vomited foul-smelling pus. She didn't start to recover for an entire month.

For more information on Ms. Yuan’s ordeal, see
Yuan Yuchun from Dalian City Recounts How She Was Persecuted

A fourth practitioner whose name is unknown had a high fever and diarrhea for three days straight after having salty water forced into her, but guard Jia Lin still force-fed her fish broth.

Torture in Conjunction with Forced-feeding

Restraining Practitioners during Force-feeding

To keep practitioners from struggling during the forced-feeding, the guards often secured their hands and/or feet.

Anchor Torture

Torture reenactment: Hands anchored to floor rings

Torture reenactment: Both hands and feet anchored to floor rings

In the “anchor torture,” the practitioner's hands and/or feet are anchored to metal rings cemented into the floor for extended periods of time. This torture often causes the practitioner to become incontinent or even lose mobility.

Ms. Ding Zhenfang was once tortured like this in Dalian City Detention Center.

Tiger Bench

Torture illustration: Tiger bench

In this torture, the practitioner’s legs are tied tightly to the bench, with his/her ankles or lower legs elevated by some hard objects. At Pulandian City Detention Center, Ms. Wu Yueju was made to sit on the tiger bench for seven days in a row. Her lower legs became so swollen that they were thicker than her thighs.

Death Bed

Torture reenactment: Death bed

The practitioner is handcuffed and shackled to the four corners of a bed in a spread-eagle position for long periods of time.

In August 2004, guards at Dalian City Detention Center tied Ms. Ding Zhenfang up on a death bed for more than 30 days, during which the doctor, Su Ying, and guards Jia Ling and Wang Ying force-fed and beat her frequently. They stomped on her face, hands, and ribs and pulled her ears during the forced-feeding. Wang Ying also used her belt to whip Ms. Ding multiple times.

As if her suffering at Dalian City Detention Center was not enough, Ms. Ding was later sent to Liaoning Women’s Prison, where she was subjected to even more brutal torture and eventually died.

For more information on Ms. Ding’s tragic death, see
Senior Citizen Ms. Ding Zhenfang Detained in Prison in Liaoning Province, Reduced to a Skeletal State (Photo)
Ms. Ding Zhenfang, 62, Dies after Three Years of Barbaric Torture in Liaoning Women's Prison (Photo)

Brace

At Wafangdian City Detention Center, a torture device dubbed a “brace” was once used on practitioners. Made of steel bars, it looked like a ladder about 40 centimeters tall. The top bar was about 30 centimeters wide and had a pair of handcuffs connected to it. The bottom bar, about 40 centimeters wide, had a pair of shackles secured to it. The practitioner was then made to “wear” this brace. With this device on, the practitioner could neither stand up nor lie down.

Under the directive of then-director Zhang Hua, practitioners Cui Dejun and Li Deqing were once made to wear such brace for many days in a row.

Death Frame and Rubber Board

Jinzhou District Detention Center came up with two torture devices, the death frame and rubber board, to brutalize detained practitioners.

Torture illustrations: Death frame

Torture illustrations: Rubber board

For a detailed description of these two torture methods, see
Illustrations of Torture Devices and Methods Used on Practitioners Detained in the Jinzhou District Detention Center, Dalian City, Liaoning Province

Other Torture Methods as Reported by Minghui

Force-feeding and the other torture methods described above are just a few of many techniques the Chinese authorities utilize in their attempts to force Falun Gong practitioners to renounce their belief. For a more complete list of torture methods used on practitioners, refer to the following series published by the Minghui website.

Illustrations of Torture Methods Used to Persecute Falun Gong Practitioners (Part I) Illustrations of Torture Methods Used to Persecute Falun Gong Practitioners (Part II) Illustrations of Torture Methods Used to Persecute Falun Gong Practitioners (Part III) Illustrations of Torture Methods Used to Persecute Falun Gong Practitioners (Part IV)