Human rights organization “Guardian” unexpectedly discovered during an investigation of black prisons in China that multiple companies are openly promoting on TikTok the use of soft package facilities specifically designed for “detention”. The voiceover in these videos claims that furniture and wall surfaces treated with soft packages to prevent collision can “prevent accidents during conversations”, implying the existence of physical torture, with the cries of detainees being absorbed by the room; and it is stated that “there are not many who can persist in this kind of environment.”
Black prisons in China refer to places where the Chinese Communist Party restricts individuals’ personal freedom without legal procedures.
In recent years, the Chinese authorities have legalized two sets of black prison systems: one is “detention”, a secret detention method used by the National Supervisory Commission in cooperation with the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection since 2018, mainly targeting CCP members and state employees, as well as non-state employees, and individuals accused of cases related to party and government personnel, with a maximum detention period of 14 months; the other is designated residence surveillance (residence), which applies to all other individuals (including human rights advocates, rights-defending lawyers, and businessmen).
Those detained in black prisons are interrogated in isolated environments for long periods, monitored closely by two guards 24 hours a day. The windows in the rooms are all covered, and the fluorescent lights inside the rooms never go out, day or night. This type of psychological torment often leads some detainees to despair. However, this is the means by which the CCP coerces confessions, so official measures are taken to prevent suicides in the cells.
“Guardian” released a report on June 11 stating that individuals in Chinese black prisons are not allowed to carry phones, victims are not allowed to meet with lawyers, journalists and family members are also denied access, and when detainees are transferred, they are often blindfolded to block their vision. Obtaining photos or videos of facilities related to suicide prevention like this is extremely difficult. However, they recently unexpectedly discovered on TikTok that some companies supplying equipment to the Chinese security apparatus are publicly promoting their suicide prevention facilities on this platform.
By searching for keywords such as “detention” and terms related to suicide prevention like “soft package wall”, “Guardian” found TikTok videos from 3 companies showcasing their suicide prevention soft package furniture and accessories, including tables, chairs, and wall surfaces. The descriptions of “detention” in these videos correspond to the various inhumane treatments that victims of black prisons have reportedly endured.
Two of the videos were published by Guangzhou Yuyinhu Building Materials Co., Ltd. The videos seem to show a detention room, the entire space dominated by gray, with an interrogation table, several chairs, and a hidden bed protruding from the wall. This also means that in some detention rooms, detainees live inside interrogation rooms.
There are no windows inside the room, only glaring strip lights for illumination. The voiceover in the video says, “Under the 24-hour glare of the lights, high-definition surveillance cameras without blind spots… The gray color tone throughout the room seems to cast a gloom over the mood.” “Two guards, omnipresent.” “Most of the time can only sit on the chair, staring at the soft package wall… unable to communicate with the outside world. Not even allowed visits, as if forgotten by the world.”
In the second video from Yuyinhu, they introduce the materials used to build this detention room, mentioning that the soft package for suicide prevention can “prevent accidents during conversations”: the soft package wall uses “high-quality nano-cotton soft package (polyethylene cotton soft package) or fireproof cotton soft package (glass cotton soft package)”. The product meets fire safety and environmental standards, both sound-absorbing and “safety-proof”. The floor is covered with anti-slip and soundproof rubber; all edges of the tables and chairs are treated with “anti-collision soft package”. The door is also treated with an anti-collision soft package and equipped with a password lock to enhance confidentiality and security, and so on.
The second account that published a TikTok video is named “Conversation Interrogation Table and Chair Factory”, claiming to be located in Henan Province, but the specific company details could not be confirmed.
In their first video, which appears to show an old house being converted into a detention facility, it is stated, “The walls are soft, the floor is soft, and there is no way to bang things or shout loudly, as the sound is absorbed.” The voiceover continues, “You have to report before doing anything.” “There are not many who can persist in this kind of environment.”
The second video opens with “Lights on 24 hours”: “You don’t know the time, only know that the three meals come on time, want to sleep, the bright light keeps you awake, want to turn over, two pairs of eyes staring at you. The most torturous thing is not the questioning, it’s the silent environment where you can hear your own heartbeat.”
The third video published by Henan Mushi’er Intelligent Furniture Co., Ltd. exposes a detention interrogation room, also in gray tones, with the same soft package interrogation table and chairs and wall surfaces. At the end of the room is a double door leading to a bathroom. There are no mirrors inside, only rubber sinks and toilets.
“Guardian” stated, “These images give people an unsettling feeling as if they are in a mental hospital. The voiceover in the videos is particularly spine-chilling, seemingly gloating about the torment the products can bring.” (Original report
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According to official Chinese data, in 2024, there were 38,000 people in detention nationwide, a 46.15% increase from 26,000 people in 2023. In 2025, there were 47,000 people detained, representing an increase of approximately 23.68% from 2024, with the total number of detainees remaining at historically high levels. “Guardian” estimates that the actual number of affected individuals over the years may have reached tens of millions.