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Shanghai prison reunites mothers with daughters serving jail term for Women's Day

By Yang Meiping | March 4, 2016, Friday | Online Edition

SHANGHAI police invited 30 women — all mothers of women prisoners — to mark the Women’s Day, which falls on March 8.

It was the third year in a row that Shanghai Women’s Prison had invited family members or relatives of women prisoners under a program that encourages changes among inmates.

Under the program, prisoners are encouraged to read books and watch movies about maternal love, and share their feelings.

Only those prisoners who perform well in the program get the chance to spend time with family members.

Yesterday, the 30 lucky inmates were clearly excited when the mothers were guided into a hall as they watched performances together.

Three of the invited mothers performed three short plays about mother’s love and tolerance.

Zheng Meng, 22, who was sentenced to seven-and-half-years in jail in 2013 for drug trafficking, was thankful for the opportunity provided to meet her mother.

“The weather in Shanghai is changing... you have to be careful,” she told her mother, while also inquiring about her grandparents.

“I thought she would complain about life in jail,” Zheng’s mother said. “I didn’t expect she would care for us.”

Zheng said she always felt that her divorced parents had failed her.

“But after being educated by police in the prison and attending activities about maternal love, I began to understand that it was not easy for a single mother to raise me,” Zheng said. “I should not have been so rebellious. I was only 16 years old and went on the wrong track.”

Her mother said she would never give up on her daughter and would work to get her back on the right track.

Metro


 

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