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I left Hohhot on December 24, and arrived at Chifeng on December 25 at 5:48 AM. When I got to the Chifeng Prison it was 9:25AM. I had to wait until 10:00 AM. The prison authorities said the prison officers are at a meeting, and told me to come back in the afternoon. I returned to the prison at 2:05 PM, and waited until 3:30 PM before I was allowed to see my father for half an hour.

During our conversation, my father told me that he has been diagnosed with two conditions: peripheral neuritis and phlebitis. They told us this was the result of an examination my father was given on October 9 at the Chifeng Municipality Hospital, Department of Neurology and Department of Vascular System.

My father said he was taken to the hospital in the morning at 8:00 AM, with handcuffs put on his hands and shackles on his feet. The entire hospital visit was video-taped by the prison authorities. After the examination my father was given some medicine. Currently his leg pain has been relieved slightly, but the swelling has not gone away. I suspect that my father’s increasingly sever illness is the reason why the prison authorities did not allow us to visit my father for more than two months, although they claimed that it was due to the wide spread swine flu in the city.

Newspapers we order for him were not properly delivered to him. Some of the newspapers were sporadically given to him but the editions related to politics and world news were confiscated. He has never been allowed to read any books there. The new prison head claimed that this has been the policy since his predecessor. The books I brought there this time were left there but the prison authority refused to give me a receipt for the books. When I tried to confirm with the prison head surnamed Zhang if these books can be delivered to my father this time, he refused to answer my phone call.

My father currently lives in a cell located on the fifth floor. It is extremely difficult for him to walk up to the fifth floor due to his leg problem. What is not acceptable is that he was not allowed to go out to take a walk.

Chinese prisons have a system called “inter-inmate monitoring”. My father has been monitored by two inmates. One of them is a murderer who allegedly killed his own brother. His name is Zhang Jian Xin and he constantly yells at and threatens my father. Isn’t it clear that the purpose of putting a murderer as my father’s monitor is to further cause my father mental and psychological stress? The prison guards turned a blind eye when he openly yelled at my father. I am afraid this murderer does not hesitate to use violence against my father anytime.

Otherwise, the prison authorities’ attitude has seemed to be relaxed a bit because my father’s prison term is closer and closer. One thing my father asked me to appeal for is that he really wants to read some books in order to prepare for his approaching release. He said he wants to understand what has happened after more than 14 years in prison.

After returning from Chifeng City, I did some research on peripheral neuritis and phlebitis. It seems that these two types of diseases are caused by insufficient blood supply. The occurrence of these two conditions together may indicate that the individual might have diabetes. We asked to see my father’s medical records many times, but the prison authorities refused to show it to us, and claimed that this is confidential information. As family members we would like to obtain a copy of my father’s medical record in order to make some preparation for medication after his release.

My father wakes up at 8:00 every morning. He said he can’t sleep well due to his upset stomach and leg pain. He has not been allowed to watch news channels, but is allowed some other channels that he has no interest in.

It is extremely egregious that the newspapers we ordered with our own money were confiscated even though the prison regulation states that prisoners are allowed to read official publications including newspapers and books.