Rights group, relatives accuse China of using torture in prison
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Originally published by HKFP on September 16, 2026
Thirty-five percent of prisoners interviewed by the CHRD said they were deprived of adequate medical care, with 16 dying behind bars as a result.
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The latest report by the Chinese Human Rights Defenders group examined the cases of 209 prisoners between 2016 and 2025 who alleged they were tortured and ill-treated while in detention in China, despite legal prohibitions on such practices.
Prisoners of conscience were particularly targeted, according to the findings.
A fifth of the prisoners said they had been beaten, while 15 percent said they were tortured as a way to force their confessions.
Thirty-five percent of prisoners interviewed by the CHRD said they were deprived of adequate medical care, with 16 dying behind bars as a result.
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‘Swept under the rug’
Prisoners also alleged in the report that they were deprived of sleep, food and water, subjected to freezing temperatures and electric shocks, locked in iron cages, and hung by the wrists.
Cases of torture were documented by the CHRD in every province and special administrative region of China except for Macau.
Chinese law states that torture and using violence to force confessions are punishable by up to three years in prison — with more serious punishment if the torture causes injuries or the death of the victim.
Beijing is also a signatory of the UN Convention against Torture but has long been accused of failing to implement and enforce laws and regulations to eradicate the abuse.
“Torture persists because Chinese authorities typically refuse to investigate and prosecute allegations made by prisoners of conscience. In some cases, complaints lead to further punishment,” the report said.
The report — “Swept Under the Rug: Systemic Failures to End Torture in the People’s Republic of China” — found no evidence suggesting prosecutions or disciplinary actions for those responsible.
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Nonetheless the CHRD concluded that “Beijing is increasingly belligerent in rejecting allegations of torture… and thwarts international accountability efforts”.
“This combative approach weakens the domestic legal system and allows torture to flourish,” it said.