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April 28, 2011

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Officials accused of opening illegal 'jail'

VILLAGERS in east China claimed a county government set up a "black jail" to illegally detain and torture petitioners until they gave up. Officials denied the accusations.

More than 10 petitioners claimed they were hit with sticks, pricked with needles and deprived of sleep by unidentified guards hired by the government of Sihong County, Jiangsu Province, Southern Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.

Most had home relocation disputes with the local government and were detained in a house in a remote area. A group of men supervised them, ordering them to sign relocation agreements.

Residents said nearly 200 petitioners had been put in the house since it opened in 2006.

Sun Yinxia, 64, told the newspaper she received a phone call from village officials, who arranged to "have a talk" at a government building on June 1, 2010.

Sun, who was in a stand-off with the government over the demolition of her home, went but was forced into a mini-bus by three mean and driven to the house.

Sun was forced to stand while facing a wall for a whole night. Sun said she heard screams from the next room, where resident Wang Naihai was beaten by armed men.

The next morning, Sun and Wang were ordered to hold a bowl of water above their head, the report said. A guard told them they could take a rest if they signed their relocation agreement. They were beaten for moving their feet.

After 21 days, Sun signed the agreement and wrote a self-criticism statement in exchange for release.

"I regret my actions. I want to thank the government for educating me about the law. Please give me a chance to improve myself," Sun wrote in her "statement."

An official, who refused to be named, told the newspaper the detention house was built in 2006 when the local government realized it needed a place to give "lectures to residents about the law."




 

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