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SHANGHAI, November 26, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The human rights group, Human Rights in China (HRIC) has reported that a Chinese mother of two is being tortured in a prison camp for defying China’s one-child policy. Mao Hengfeng, a resident of Shanghai was arrested for her activism against the government policy. Fifteen years ago, Mao was dismissed from her job at a soap factory for the offense of having a second child. In April the Shanghai Public Security Bureau ordered that Mao serve 18 months in a Reeducation Through Labour (RTL) camp because of her activism.

In October, HRIC reported that Mao was being tortured, including being bound hand and foot and suspended in mid-air, and being subjected to severe beatings. Now HRIC has had further reports of torture. HRIC’s sources say RTL camp police bound Mao’s wrists and ankles with leather straps, and then proceeded to pull her limbs in separate directions, while demanding that she acknowledge wrongdoing.  Despite government restrictions on unofficial information being disseminated, the news of Mao’s treatment has sparked public protests. “Mao’s brutal treatment by camp officials clearly contravenes the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which China has ratified,” said HRIC president Liu Qing. The protests have led to the adjournment of a hearing scheduled on October 28 in Yangpu District to consider further administrative action against Mao.  hw