Violent Abuse During Forced CommitmentsSince 2007, Zhu Yongjian has been forcibly committed five times by authorities for challenging a court decision. Zhu said he was abused every time he was committed. For example, Zhu revealed that during his fourth detention, “they forcibly inserted a nasal tube and forced the medication through. After the medicine has gone down, my throat was very painful. This happened twice … later, I quit and went on a hunger strike, but they gave me an intravenous drip. The nurse said, ‘You want to die? It’s not that easy.’”

Photo: CRLW

Photo: CRLW

Reliving Pain in Public ProtestFormer patient Chen Guoming carried out a protest in a Beijing park to raise public awareness about China’s involuntary commitment system. Chen reenacted the experience of his family members binding him with tape and taking him against his will to a psychiatric hospital in February 2011. The message on the ground reads, “Anyone may be ‘made mentally ill’.”

False “Evidence” of Mental Illness, No Legal RecourseA police notice indicates that Zhong Yafang had been committed for “disturbing social order” after petitioning over a medical accident. The police committed Zhong after asking a hospital to conduct an evaluation of her mental health status and obtaining “evidence” of her mental illness. Like all those involuntarily committed in China, Zhong had no access to a judge or an independent review mechanism to wage an appeal.

Photo: CRLW

Illegally Committed for Seeking Explanation Over Job LossOfficials in Wuhan, Hubei Province illegally detained Liu Caixia in the psychiatric ward of the Huashan Town Health Clinic in 2010. Liu was seized while petitioning in Beijing after losing her accountant position at a university without any formal explanation.

Photo: HRCC

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s NestFrom Wuhan, Hubei Province, Xu Wu was detained for nearly five years in psychiatric hospitals after suing his employer over unequal pay for iron and steel workers. Committed by Wuhan police and his employer, Xu was held in the hospital until his escape to Guangzhou in 2011, when he appeared on a television program and talked about his ordeal. Xu’s story generated widespread concern in China for the abuses of the involuntary commitment system.

Photo: CRLW

“Consent Form to Commission Treatment” This form was signed by Zou Yijun’s family, who forcibly brought her to Guangzhou Baiyun Psychiatric Hospital. The hospital allowed Zou’s family to act as her “guardian” to authorize her admittance and treatment even though Zou has never been declared legally incompetent by a court. According to the form, if a patient dies or is injured for reasons related to “the particularity of psychiatric treatment,” the “guardian” agrees that the hospital should bear no responsibility. Variants of this form are widely used by China’s psychiatric hospitals.

Photo: Equality and Justice Initiative

Pleading for Help From Outside WorldCalling out for help from a psychiatric hospital, Peng Yongkang was petitioning in Beijing when officials forcibly took her back to Wuhan in March 2008 and institutionalized her. She is currently being held in Wuhan City Jiangxia District Chukang Psychiatric Hospital.

Photo: CRLW

Involuntary Commitment, Forced MedicationPetitioner Li Yuqing of Inner Mongolia was held for nearly a month in a psychiatric hospital after expressing a grievance in Beijing in the summer of 2011. While detained, Li was reportedly forced to take medication against her will.

Photo: HRCC

No Legal Capacity Leads to Unsuccessful Lawsuit After Involuntary CommitmentIn April 2008, after Zhou Mingde was beaten unconscious and taken to the Shanghai Psychiatric Hospital by the hospital’s staff as well as his wife and son, he was held there for 66 days for “paranoia.” Zhou later sued the hospital, but a court ruled that Zhou’s legal capacity to act as plaintiff was questionable because he was hospitalized and diagnosed with a mental illness. Chinese courts sometimes assume that individuals with psychosocial disabilities have no legal capacity, and thus deny them the right to sue hospitals and individuals who authorize involuntary commitment.

Photo: Equality and Justice Initiative

Psychiatric Institution in Hubei ProvinceA number of individuals whose cases are mentioned in CHRD’s report have been detained in Wudong No.2 Psychiatric Hospital in Wuhan City.

Photo: CRLW