(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Dafa practitioner Cao Lingying from Huangni Township, Yongxing County, Hunan Province was illegally arrested by the police from Anren County and Yongxing County on April 8, 2003. Several other Falun Dafa practitioners were also arrested. Thereafter, Cao was illegally sentenced to three years of imprisonment, and was sent to the Changsha Women's Prison in Hunan Province on December 27, 2003, for further persecution. She was beaten, tortured, subjected to slave labor and disciplinary actions along with many other Falun Dafa practitioners.

1. Physical Interrogation at the Public Security Bureau

At the Public Security Bureau, many Falun Dafa practitioners, including Cao Lingying, were subjected to physical interrogation. After seeing Cao unwilling to give in to their demands after some time, the chief of the Public Security Bureau, Deng Guangtan, forced her to kneel on the ground with one hand cuffed in front of her chest and the other behind her back. She was tortured by having to remain in the "carrying a sword behind the back" position while being kicked on her knees and heavily knocked on her head with books. She was deprived of sleep at night and made to kneel on the floor with both hands cuffed to the window frames. After being tortured like this for several days and nights, she was then illegally imprisoned at the County Detention Center. Another Falun Dafa practitioner, Xu Yunyan's legs were crippled after rounds of ruthless beating by the police from Anren County, while another practitioner, Wu Shengying, was force fed by the police after resisting the persecution.

2. Basic Human Freedom Deprived at the Changsha Women's Prison

Thereafter, Cao was illegally sentenced to three years of imprisonment and was transferred to the Changsha Women's Prison on December 27, 2003 for further persecution. A dedicated "Transformation and Re-education Team" to persecute Falun Dafa practitioners was set up in the Changsha Women's Prison. Each practitioner was individually monitored by the criminal convicts who were assigned to follow practitioners even when they used the washroom. Practitioners are prohibited from visiting other prison cells, giving gifts to fellow practitioners or telephoning their family and friends.

3. Gruesome Slave Labor

The labor tasks forced upon Falun Gong practitioners exceeded the tasks assigned to the other convicts. According to prison regulations, the older people above the age of sixty are forbidden from participating in labor work, but the older Falun Gong practitioners are still forced to work. Falun Dafa practitioner Li Deyin tried to resist the labor work. Both her legs became swollen after the police forced her to stand for three days and three nights.

Besides peeling nuts and packing tofu, Falun Dafa practitioners under the "Transformation and Re-education Team" also had to make mats and weave clothes. They worked, ate, drank, excreted and slept together in the prison cells, which held more than ten people. This was both unhygienic and inhuman. Due to the humidity being very high in the room, all the bed sheets were damp. The practitioners were unable to get any rest because of the extreme temperatures during the winter.

4. Standing Torture

Standing torture is a very common torture method used by the police on Falun Dafa practitioners. After Peng Taoxiu was found reading Falun Dafa books at night, she was made to stand for three days and two nights. Cao Lingying was made to stand for five days and five nights without rest after she refused to give in to their demands. Her legs became very swollen. The policemen who participated in the persecution included Luo Juan, Mao Huimin, Xiao Ping and others. They also instigated criminal convicts Chen Shumei and Chen Jianhui to monitor practitioners and prevent them from sitting or even leaning against the wall. Practitioner Yan Hong, was tortured on the tiger bench under the hot sun after resisting the persecution. His eyesight deteriorated severely as a result.

5. Ruthless Beatings and Confinement in a Small Cell

In April 2004, five Falun Dafa practitioners were forcibly brought to the disciplinary team and isolated behind closed doors where they were shocked with electric batons. The isolation lasted a month.

Other criminal convicts at the prison, who are manipulated by the lies by the police, have all participated in the persecution under pressure and the lure of personal interests promised to them by the police. When practitioner Liu Daju was reading Falun Dafa books at night, she was spotted by the convict on guard duty, Li Chunxia, who reported her. That night, both of Liu's hands were handcuffed to the window frame by policewoman Luo Juan, while Li Xiaoping, a criminal, brutally beat her.

6. Clandestine Brainwashing Sessions

In order to achieve their goal of "transforming" Falun Dafa practitioners, the notorious "Transformation and Re-education Team" held a secret four-month long brainwashing session above the reception room. Each practitioner was imprisoned in a cell, monitored by two criminal convicts, and prevented from contacting anyone outside.

The above is just the tip of the iceberg of the persecution that has occurred in the Changsha Women's Prison. There are several other more ruthless methods of persecution that remain unknown.