Recently, Shaanxi petitioner Wang Xiaoqin once again sent dozens of reports to the Chinese Central Inspection Team regarding the abnormal death of her brother, Wang Xiaogang, while in custody. She pointed out that the Weicheng District Public Security Bureau in Xianyang City had issues such as “hastily falsifying verification, shifting blame, and perfunctory handling” in dealing with matters transferred by the inspection team. She demanded that the case be escalated for supervision and oversight.
Wang Xiaoqin told Epoch Times that she had sent dozens of letters of complaint to the Central Inspection Team in early May, seeking to hold accountable the director of the Weicheng District Detention Center, Zhang Minghui, and others, for allegations of abuse and dereliction of duty towards detainees. Subsequently, the Central Inspection Team transferred the case to the Weicheng District Public Security Bureau, the unit being reported.
On May 21st, Deputy Director Wang and the person in charge of the petition department at the Weicheng District Public Security Bureau requested Wang Xiaoqin to sign on the response letter of the petition, claiming that after verification, there was no evidence proving that Zhang Minghui had committed any criminal acts.
Wang Xiaoqin questioned the source of the verification results. The response was that it came from the specialized inspection team’s investigation. However, she believed that the verification did not align with the facts, leading to a change in the statement that the conclusion was drawn after examining the investigation files at the Weicheng District Prosecution Office.
She pointed out that “the Central Inspection Team transferring the case to the Weicheng District Public Security Bureau is illegal; the police, prosecutors, and judiciary colluded to hastily resolve the matter. The prosecutor Wang Qian at the Weicheng District Prosecution Office is suspected of covering up the death caused by the detention center; they are complicit.”
According to Wang Xiaoqin, mentally ill individuals did not meet the criteria for detention, yet Wang Xiaogang was unlawfully detained by the detention center, which ultimately led to his death. She stated, “It is evident in the surveillance videos from the detention center that the inmate leaders physically assaulted Wang Xiaogang, while the guards turned a blind eye. Wang Xiaogang often suffered from unconsciousness for seven to eight hours a day. Is the detention center not responsible?”
She believed that the actions of the Weicheng District Public Security Bureau were characterized by “shifting blame, violating the promise of conducting a thorough investigation, administrative inaction, and arbitrary conduct.”
Reporters attempted to contact the petition office of the Weicheng District Public Security Bureau and the office of Prosecutor Wang Qian but were unable to establish a connection.
Prior to his incarceration, Wang Xiaogang had been severely injured by a dog ordered by his superiors in 2007, followed by a physical assault by hired thugs which resulted in severe mental illness. His father, Wang Yingqiang, has been a persistent petitioner over the years, leading him to become a key target of local government surveillance.
On September 28, 2022, an investigator named Ma Yongkui unprovokedly attempted to attack Wang Yingqiang with a knife in his yard but was injured by Wang Xiaogang in self-defense. Later, Ma Yongkui’s son, Ma Jianjun, drove a private car into Wang’s yard, causing his father to be crushed under the vehicle and injuring Wang Yingqiang, leaving him severely paralyzed and bedridden to this day.
Initially under surveillance, Wang Xiaogang was criminally detained by the Weicheng District Detention Center in Xianyang City in late October 2022, and later sentenced to ten years in prison for intentional injury. His death was officially announced on July 23, 2024.
Wang Xiaoqin previously revealed that on July 20th, she saw Wang Xiaogang in the ICU at the hospital, with his body swollen, head ballooned to the size of a basketball, eyes filled with pus, and lips pale. She suspected that the detention center intentionally created a sense of urgency to save his life until officially declaring him dead on July 23rd. The body sent to the morgue showed abnormal signs like darkening and severe facial swelling.
Wang Xiaoqin explained that prior to his detention, Wang Xiaogang’s health was indicated as healthy in the physical examination reports. Upon reviewing surveillance footage from the detention center, it was discovered that Wang Xiaogang had endured prolonged violence, abuse, and delayed medical treatment, ultimately leading to his abnormal death.
During Wang Xiaogang’s meetings with his lawyer, he repeatedly reported being physically assaulted, subjected to “tiger bench” torture, and narrowly escaping broken bones.
Wang Xiaoqin expressed that holding the responsible parties accountable is the main demand for her and her father. She said, “We have only two demands: first, to hold all those involved accountable, including Zhang Minghui, for the law. Second is to seek compensation legally.”
Emotionally, Wang Xiaoqin choked up, mentioning her 85-year-old father, who has been suppressed while advocating for justice over the years, and now bedridden due to severe illness. His only wish is to seek justice for his son while he is still alive. “The way my brother looked at the time of his death, with his eyes wide open, I can never forget it.”