(Minghui.org) Three Falun Gong practitioners at Heilongjiang Women’s Prison have been subjected to the “sitting on a small stool” torture method for more than four months now.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
“Sitting on a small stool” is a form of torture widely used on Falun Gong practitioners in Chinese prisons.
Ms. Wan Fang, Ms. Qi Hongyu, and Ms. Zhang Shuqin, are forced to sit on small plastic stools no more than 20 cm (about 8 inches) high every day. Each person must sit with her legs pressed together, hands on her knees. She is not allowed to look around, move, or shift positions for a long time, usually from 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Other than eating and going to the restroom, she spends the entire day sitting on the stool.
After sitting on the stool for just an hour, discomfort turns to pain. The pain then becomes excruciating, like countless arrows piercing the lower body and worms gnawing on the bones. Most victims develop swelling in their limbs and high blood pressure from staying in one position for so long. Some have open, bleeding, festering wounds on their buttocks, some with their bones protruding or worse.
Ms. Wan, Ms. Qi, and Ms. Zhang were transferred to the “Training Ward” of the prison earlier this year. Ms. Zhang was verbally abused and beaten for giving another inmate several buns to eat. Ms. Qi was reprimanded for wanting to speak to a guard.
Ms. Wan worked at the Xiangfang District Tax Bureau in Harbin. She was arrested on September 11, 2019, in a police sweep. The police confiscated her Falun Gong books, computer, and printer. She was tried on September 9, 2020, in a video conference and sentenced to four years in prison a week later.
Ms. Qi of Jixian County, Shuangyashan City, was arrested on April 3, 2020, for telling people about Falun Gong and the persecution. The police broke into and ransacked her home that afternoon. Without notifying her family, the Jixian County Court tried and sentenced Ms. Qi to four years in prison.
Ms. Zhang of Yichun City was arrested on March 5, 2020. She was tried on August 19 in the Yimei District Court and sentenced to three years and four months in prison on September 28, 2020.
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