(Minghui.org) Ms. Wang Lanying, 56, from Changchun City, was subjected to the stretching torture twice at Heizuizi Women's Forced Labor Camp, for a total of 50 hours.
This torture method causes extreme pain and has resulted in a few dozen deaths, disabilities, and mental disorders among tortured Falun Gong practitioners. The torture is conducted by tying ropes or applying handcuffs to the arms and legs, which are then stretched and secured to the four corners of a bed.
Torture re-enactment: Stretching torture
The following is the persecution account from Ms. Wang Lanying:
Beaten, Shocked with Electric Batons, and Forced to Stand for Extended Periods of Time
I was sentenced to two years of imprisonment on December 28, 2011, and detained at Heizuizi Women's Forced Labor Camp. When I arrived, I refused to write statements defaming Falun Dafa, and promising to give up my practice. As a result, guard leader Ding Caihong slapped my face, shocked me with electric batons, and led a few collaborators to “transform” me. I didn't want to listen to their propaganda and brainwashing, so they beat, kicked, and forced me to stand in one spot for a long time.
When team leader Liu Lianying was on duty she once called me into the workshop, and asked me what I thought about Falun Gong. I replied that I was a good person, and a law-abiding citizen. Upon hearing that, she slapped my face very hard and kicked me.
Liu called me into the management office again the next morning, and continued her attempts to force me into giving up my belief. She didn't allow me to eat, and shocked me all over with two electric batons, until both were out of power, then kicked me and slapped my face.
Guards Liu Lianying and Liu Shuxia had criminals continue to torture me on the third day. They penalized me by making me stand for a long time, and didn't allow me to sleep, until I fainted and fell on the floor. Even then, they didn't allow me to go to bed, but made me sit on the floor. I was forced to work in the workshop only two days later.
Hazardous Working Environment
The No. 2 team was dismantled in July 2012, and I was assigned to the No. 4 team. We worked from 5:00 a.m. until 6:45 p.m, with no breaks, and time spent eating and using the washroom counted as a break.
A very toxic glue was used during the production process. It was light yellow in color, and had a very strong smell. We had to open up windows even in the wintertime to eliminate the strong smell. When people came for inspection, team leader Li Xiaohua told us to quickly hide the glue. After they left, we were to use it again. In order to make more profits, we were not allowed to mention a word about this poisonous glue.
Being Tortured and Stretched by Collaborators
The guards found two collaborators in September 2012, to torture practitioners. This was ordered by Li Hong, the person in charge of the labor camp. Jin Yingshu was hired on September 2, and Wu Huimin was hired on September 4. They teamed up with guards Zhu Dan, Jin Lihua, and Zhang Xiaohui, and began to use stretching to torture practitioners. Practitioners who were subjected to this torture included Liu Jun, Fei Guiling, Xu Hui, Ming Yanbao, Zhang Jianying, Lei Xiuxiang, Piao Taishu, and myself.
I was called to the office at 9:00 a.m. on September 10, 2012. Collaborator Jin Yingshu began attempts to “transform” me first. I refused to listen to what she said, so she became upset and shouted, "You committed the crime, why didn't you plead guilty?" I replied that I hadn't committed any crime.
Guards Zhu Dan, Jin Lihua, Zhang Xiaohui, and collaborators Jin Yingshu and Wu Huimin tied me to a stretching bed, where I was stretched for 36 hours. During this time I had two relapses of heart disease, and I fainted. They used this opportunity to grab my hand and force me to sign a guarantee statement. After that, they had me and two collaborators stay in the guards' changing room. I lost my ability to walk and needed help when going to the washroom. I was forced to study materials that defamed Falun Gong every day, and wasn't allowed to rest on a bed.
One day, at the "study session," I had a relapse of heart disease and lost consciousness. After I woke up, collaborator Jin Yingshu said, "Didn't you become healthy from practicing Falun Gong?" I said, "This is as a result of your torture. I became healthy through practicing Falun Gong, that's true. I was holding myself to the principles of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" and was a good person. There is nothing wrong with that."
Jin Yingshu reported to the team leader of guards Zhu Dan and Jin Lihua, saying that I didn't have a good attitude towards their “transformation” efforts, so when Jin Lihua entered the room, she dragged me into the duty room, where she kicked and slapped my face. She then tied me to the stretching bed again. I shouted, "Falun Dafa is good! Guards are torturing good people!" Zhu Dan began swearing viciously, "Look at what she's doing. The more bystanders who are here watching, the louder she is shouting!" Another team leader, Li Xiaohua, covered my mouth with tape. On the stretching bed, the entire body's weight was on my four limbs. This caused tremendous pain. It was unendurable.
I subsequently stayed with another practitioner Ms. Ming Yanbo, 64, who helped me walk to the washroom. She helped me squat down, and pulled me up when I was done. Collaborator Jin Yingshu said that I was pretending to be in need of help.
When my family came to see me, they were turned down a few times. Guards Zhu Dan and Jin Lihua said to them, “She has a poor attitude and is not allowed to see you.”
Fake Diagnosis
After five months my hands and legs were both still numb. I was applying for an external hospital treatment right before January 2013. Team leader Jin Lihua, along with Zhang Xiaohui, Ai Siming, and medial doctor Dong, took me to the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital to receive treatment. I was taken to the neurology department on the third floor.
When the doctor asked me what was wrong, I said that both my hands and legs were numb, as I had been tied to a stretching bed torture device. The doctor tapped my hands with a metal tool to test my sensitivity, but didn't say anything. I asked for an x-ray, and the doctor replied “sure.” After I was done with the x-ray, I was told that the results would be available at 2:00 p.m. Doctor Dong said, “You can go back. I will wait for the results.”
Doctor Dong came over the next time, and called me to take a look at the x-ray. He said to me, "As per the diagnosis, you have osteoporosis. At your age, you should take more calcium and focus on better nutrition." I said to him, "I didn't have any of these symptoms before. They started after I was subjected to the stretching torture."
Guard leader Zhu Dan cursed at me for a few days for what I said. I was tortured behind the scenes, and forced to sit on a stool to do labor work in the workshop. My legs and feet became swollen by evening each day, and my back also hurt. My condition was getting more and more serious.
With Family Members Fighting for My Release, I Finally Got to Walk Out of the Evil Den
My family came for a visit in mid-April 2013. When they saw me, they began asking, "Did they put you on a stretching bed? You don't have to tell us. We already know." I then told them, "They put me on a stretching bed. Both my hands and arms have been numb, and I am having difficulty walking."
As soon as my daughter, nephew, and sister heard it, they began arguing with the guards. My daughter said in tears, "You must let my mom go home to get treatment." My nephew argued with the guards first, then went to look for the person in charge.
Guards Zhu Dan, Zhang Xiaohui, and Ding Caihong challenged them by saying, "Who told you about this? Where is the stretching bed?" My nephew then asked me, "Aunt, were you ever tied to a stretching bed or not?" I said I was, and that what I said was true. As soon as people from the camp heard it, they all became speechless. My daughter repeated, “Please release my mother today.” They argued with them until the time when guards finished work.
Another seven to eight family members came to see me two days later. I said to them, “I can't stay here any longer, I must go home to see a doctor.” My daughter said, “We'll take you home.” After visiting with my family, the guard took me back to the workshop, they closely watched me, and didn't allow me to talk to anyone. When I went to the washroom, I went with the collaborators alone.
One day the guards took me to the clinic downstairs. There were two people there whom I didn't know. One man told me that they came from the Procuratorate. The lady was asking questions, and the man was taking notes. I began to talk about how I was tortured from beginning to the end, and I emphasized that it was all true.
Two people in charge of the Procuratorate, and Xu, the division manager, along with medical doctor Chen, and the No. 4 team political instructor, took me to the No. 461 Hospital in Changchun City on April 13, to see the doctor twice. My family was trying to bail me out for medical reasons. I finally returned home on April 13.
