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Chinese Feminist Describes Prison Ordeal

Chinese Feminist Describes Prison Ordeal

One of five feminists detained in China for over a month in a case which drew international attention has spoken to Sky News about her ordeal.

Speaking by Skype from her hometown in Guangxi Province, Wei Tingting described her fear and nervousness during prolonged periods of interrogation in which authorities tried to trick her into confessing to crimes she did not commit.

Ms Wei was detained with four other women's rights activists, Wang Man, Li Tingting, Wu Rongrong and Zheng Churan, just before International Women's Day on 8 March.

The women were held by authorities at a Beijing detention centre for "causing a quarrel" after they had planned a public campaign to end sexual harassment on public transport.

They were released last week but remain on bail which indicates that the undisclosed case against them effectively remains open and they could be detained again at any point.

"I did feel nervousness and fear because everything was so sealed up," Ms Wei told Sky News.

"To me, it came as a surprise. I had never expected it: I went to do some campaigning about sexual harassment but before I even began I was captured and criminally detained for more than 30 days.

"Who would have thought the detention would last so long. For me, this was far beyond my imagination."

Ms Wei was reluctant to give too much detail about her treatment in the detention centre or the interrogation techniques used as she remains on bail.

However, she did describe some of her experiences.

"I can say it objectively: the officers used some tactics during interrogations in the hope that you will confess or admit to the crimes," she said.

"They use some methods to trick you; to make you speak more. I don't want to talk more details about it. They do have their ways to obtain information they want to get."

She was told all her interrogations were taped. However she is severely short-sighted and her glasses were not allowed in the detention centre, so she was unable to see clearly what was happening during the police questioning.

The women were held in separate female-only communal cells. Ms Wei described her cell as being between 20-30 sq metres (66-99ft) with between 20 to 24 women in it.

The room was under 24-hour surveillance. The inmates were kept to a strict timetable, waking up at 6am and going to bed at 11pm.

During the day, they were assigned different cleaning tasks. Twice daily, she said the inmates were allowed to leave the cell to an open roof space of around 10 sq metres (33ft).

She described how 20 inmates were allowed to walk around circles on the roof space, singing songs or talking.

"Without my glasses, I couldn't see anything clearly, like walking the stairs, for example. At the beginning, I felt the whole world was a blur. This feeling of insecurity was so overwhelming.

"I couldn't tell whether someone was walking towards to me harm me ... I gradually adapted. I'm always a positive person; I treated it as an experience of life."

Human rights organisations expressed outrage at the women's ordeal.

Two of the women were admitted to hospital during their detention. Their lawyers claimed it was as a result of prolonged and intense interrogation.

Demands for their unconditional release were made by the US, the EU and Britain.

The Chinese authorities did not explain why they had been detained, saying only China's judicial sovereignty should be respected.

"China is a country of rule of law and runs the country according to the law. Everyone is equal before the law," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said last week.

"China's legal authorities will handle this case in accordance with the law."

During their detention, several unsuccessful attempts were made by Sky News to establish precisely why they had been detained.

Despite a lack of clarity, there is consensus among diplomats, rights organisations and journalists that the women were snared in what has become an unprecedented crackdown to suppress any form of protest in China.

The women's campaign - for female rights - could not in any direct way be seen as political or a threat to the government.

However, the existence of any form of organised protest on the streets in China is seen as a threat to social stability and therefore not tolerated.

In the two years since President Xi Jinping took office, there has been a sharp increase in the number of academics, lawyers and journalists who have been detained.

Typically, detainees are accused of vague "crimes", the most common of which is "gathering crowds to disturb the public order".

The women's release was as sudden as their initial detention.

Ms Wei said she was accompanied by two detention centre officers and two policemen in a car to Beijing airport where they were joined by another three policemen.

They accompanied her on a plane to Nanning City, the capital city of her home province of Guangxi.

"I didn't expect the support we had was in such large scale. I am really touched," she said.

"So many people left me messages, called me, I saw a lot of articles people wrote, I’m very touched. My biggest appeal now is to withdraw my bail conditions.

"Also, I want my possessions returned. My computer and mobile phone were taken away by the police. They told me these were evidence.

"I hope we can be proved innocent."