(Minghui) Angang High School teacher Ms. Xing Dan, 46, has been on a hunger strike since she was illegally sentenced in February 2015. She was taken to Liaoning Women’s Prison four months later. The hunger strike has continued since then.
She is currently in critical condition. She has been kept alive with forced-feeding of liquid food and intravenous injections of a glucose solution. Her lawyers were denied visitation. Her family filed an appeal with the Anshan Intermediate People’s Court for medical parole. The case was filed for review on August 14, 2017.
Hunger Strike
Ms. Xing Dan was arrested on July 21, 2014 for her belief and illegally sentenced to five years in prison on February 11, 2015. She was taken to Liaoning Women’s Prison in Shenyang on June 2 despite her poor health, including myocardial ischemia, sinus arrhythmia, abnormal T-wave changes, and hypotension.
Two days later, the prison called her family to come and sign a document that would excuse the prison of any legal liabilities because Ms. Xing could die any time. Prison authorities asked the family to persuade her to eat, saying that going on a hunger strike does not satisfy the criteria for medical parole.
In November 2016, her family was informed that their quarterly family visits were terminated because Ms. Xing would not end her hunger strike.
During his visit in January 2017, Ms. Xing’s brother refused to give his consent to allow the prison to give Ms. Xing the mental disorder drug Olanzapine.
Father’s Passing
Ms. Xing’s parents were both in their seventies. They were only allowed to see their daughter a few times since her arrest three years ago. The prison uses various excuses to deny the visits unless the family says and does what the prison wants them to say and do.
They have been frequently harassed by the prison guards, who kept saying that their daughter was on the brink of death.
In March 2017, the prison told them that their daughter was in critical condition and asked their consent to give her the mental disorder drug. Her parents refused.
On April 12, her parents came to the prison. Their visit was stopped in the middle of the meeting when they told her to report to the prosecutor’s office stationed at the prison for any unfair treatment. They were then kicked out of the prison.
Her father missed her so much and worried over her plight.
He had esophageal cancer. Although his disease had been stabilized, it worsened after March. He passed away in grief on April 18.
Lawyers’ Visits Obstructed
Ms. Xing’s family has retained two lawyers to apply for medical parole on her behalf.
On April 19, the lawyers were denied a meeting with their client by the prison with the excuse that Ms. Xing was out for a physical examination. The prison did not answer the lawyers’ questions about Ms. Xing’s health, criteria for the prison admittance, and reasons for her hunger strike.
As suggested, the lawyers returned the next day to see Ms. Xing. The prison denied their request again, claiming that the prison has the authority to deny any request on the basis of the complexity of the case. The lawyers asked to see the previous day’s physical examination results, but the answer was, “We will call her family.”
After failing to meet with Ms. Xing, the lawyers asked for help from the stationed prosecutor office, but to no avail. They then went to the Prison Administration Office and Prison Management Bureau, and were told to visit the Petition Office.
The lawyers requested an explanation for why their visits were denied by the prison. They were stonewalled the entire afternoon.
Appeal Request Filed for Review
Ms. Xing’s family has made several medical parole requests, which were denied. Her mother then interceded with relevant departments for her daughter’s release.
Her family filed an appeal with the Anshan Intermediate People’s Court. The court took the case and filed it for review on August 14.
Judge Xu Fei is assigned to this case. His cell phone is +086-412-2669810.
Related Articles Woman on Hunger Strike in Critical Condition, Prison Suspends Family Visits, Ms. Xing Dan Illegally Tried Despite Being Critically Ill, Husband Detained and Tortured for Requesting Wife’s Release
Persons Responsible for the Persecution Jia Fujun (贾福军): warden, Liaoning Women’s Prison, +086-15698808121Chen Shuo (陈硕): supervisor, No.12 Ward of Liaoning Women’s Prison, +86-412-31236329Huang Jin (黄进): presiding judge, Tiedong District Court, +086-18241288188Gao Xin (高欣: prosecutor, Tiedong District Procuratorate, +086-15842010166
