Fu Shengqi

Off and on between 1983 and 1995, Fu Shengqi was held in various prisons and labor camps for pro-democracy activities:

"In April, 1994, I was transferred to the 5th Battalion. In 1994 and in 1995, I witnessed how from June to October the battalion's 2nd Company assembled multi-colored Christmas lights for export for Haiman Lamps Factory and a lamps factory of the Jiangsu Province. Each box consisted of 36, 50, 100 or 200 lights on a string...

"The task was hard. Every inmate had to labor overtime, many laboring until 1 or 2 at night. Those who failed to fulfill quotas were punished. Inmates at the woolen sweater mill also often labored overtime. Inmates in farming had to labor overtime even more. For instance, inmates who transplanted rice seedlings often labored from 7 in the morning until 8 at night.

"On Laogai [prison labor facilities] farms, inmates were often beaten and cursed. The government cadres cuffed and kicked them at will. Those Laogai inmates trusted to supervise other inmates beat and cursed them even more. I was also beaten by them."

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