Taiwanese NGO worker Li Mingzhe said in an interview with this newspaper today that he can only rest for 4 days during the Chinese New Year in a Chinese prison for a whole year, and spends the rest of the time stepping on the sewing machine to make gloves and shoes.

(Photo by reporter Chen Yufu)

[Reporter Chen Yufu/Taipei Report] Taiwanese NGO worker Lee Ming-che was accused by China of "subversion of state power" in 2017. He was imprisoned in Chishan Prison in Hunan for 5 years. He was released from prison and returned to Taiwan in April last year. Lunar New Year.

In an interview with this newspaper today, Li Mingzhe said that in a Chinese prison, he could only rest for four days during the Chinese New Year. The rest of the time he was on the sewing machine, busy making gloves and shoes. One month before he was released from prison, the CCP threatened him, saying, " You may not be able to go back, because you will be deprived of political rights for 2 years, and you will not be able to leave the country until the sentence expires.”

Li Mingzhe pointed out that China's prison law stipulates that prisoners must be forced to work. In the prison, they can only work 8 hours a day, and they must have one day of rest and one day of education every week.

However, when he served his sentence in a Chinese prison, he usually did not have a rest day. During his five years in prison, the Chinese prison did not abide by Chinese laws for a day.

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Li Mingzhe mentioned that the content of the labor work is stepping on the sewing machine and busy making gloves and shoes. Chishan Prison is full of men. They go to work at 6:30 every morning and finish work at about 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 15 minutes, plus 20 minutes for meal time, a total of 50 minutes for short breaks.

About once being moved to Yancheng Prison in Beijing?

Li Mingzhe mentioned that he entered Chishan Prison in December 2017. He changed prisons in September 2018. He was sent to Yancheng Prison in Beijing for about two weeks, and was soon transferred back to Chishan Prison. The reason for the transfer was unclear. You know, the prison authorities didn't tell him.

Li Mingzhe mentioned that Chishan Prison often had prison transfers at that time. In those years, many prisoners were transferred from Yunnan, and the prison authorities would not give any reason.

In the prison, 16 or 17 people were locked together in a cell. Before he was released from prison, the Chishan Prison was overcrowded and the beds were full, so he had to put a camp bed in the middle of the aisle.

Li Mingzhe pointed out that during his sentence, if any inmates talk to him, the prison will come to warn him. In the last year, the person who talked to him will be arrested and locked up. In fact, 3 or 4 people have been locked up. Only a few specific people are allowed to talk to him, the purpose of the research and judgment is to isolate him from outside information.

In the last month, China quarantined him on the grounds that he did not want to be infected with the epidemic. In fact, he did not want him to tell too much about the prison after he was released from prison. It may be to prevent some inmates from telling him about his grievances or going out to help speak out. .

Li Mingzhe emphasized that one month before he was released from prison, China threatened him that he might not be able to go back, because he would be deprived of political rights for two years, and he would not be allowed to go abroad until his sentence expired.

He said to the other party at the time, "If you claim that Taiwan is part of China, how can returning to Taiwan be like going abroad?" The other party was speechless.

At that time, China was planning to use this clause to restrict him from returning to Taiwan. Later, it might be evaluated that he should stay in China. There would be a lot of solidarity and protests in Taiwan, and finally he was released. I only knew that I could come back 4 days before I was released from prison.

Li Mingzhe said that after Li Mengju was released from prison last year, he was unable to leave China because of deprivation of political rights for two years.

Another Chinese human rights lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, was released from prison for four years and was also placed under house arrest for depriving political rights.