The wife of a Falun Gong adherent sentenced to prison in Singapore for a peaceful protest is concerned that authorities may be poisoning her husband. She has engaged a lawyer for help.
On Nov 30, 2006, Singapore subordinate court found guilty of "harassment" two Falun Gong practitioners who had peacefully protested the persecution of Falun Gong in China in front of the Chinese Embassy in Singapore.
In order to protest a trial that lacked basic elements of due process, including being allowed to call witnesses or present evidence, the two accused practitioners Ng Chye Huay and Erh Boon Tiong refused to pay their fines. The two of them were sent directly to prison on the evening of Nov. 30, and will serve terms of 15 days and 10 days respectively.
Sally Sun, the wife of Erh Boon Tiong, visited him the next day at the Queenstown Remand Prison, and was told that Erh was served different food from other prisoners: There was a number marked on his foodbox.
Sun, on hearing that Erh was being served different food, has been extremely worried about his health and has been unable to get a clear answer from the prison regarding why her husband's food should be different or what his health condition is.
Sun's worries are triggered in part by the fate of Singapore Opposition Party leader Chee Soon Juan. Chee is serving a term for "public speaking without a permit" in the same prison as Erh. He has been hospitalized since last Sunday.
His symptoms include dehydration, bloody urine, and extremely low blood pressure. Chee has claimed that the food provided by the prison caused him to be dizzy and suffer nausea and vomiting. On one occcasion he did not eat the food, and the dizziness and nausea was reduced. Therefore, he refused to continue taking the food given by prison.
Sun says she has not yet received a satisfactory reply to her inquiries about her husband. "I rushed to the prison in the first time, asking about the outcome of the incident of the numbered foodbox. The prison staff did not explain the reason to me [for the numbered foodbox], but they promised that there has been nothing marked on the foodbox since [last Friday]."
Sun says that the prison staff have told her that if her husband has a health problem, the prison doctor will take care of him. A prison staff member told Sun, "You will know [his health condition] when he is released."
Sun immediately replied, "No, that is too late. The prison doctor might only take care of him while he is in the prison. After he is released, if his health still has some problem, who will take responsibility? Am I supposed to send him to the hospital?"
Failing to get satisfactory answers from prison officials about her husband, Sun hastily engaged a lawyer. "No matter how much money I have to pay for the lawyer's fee, I have to do so," Sun said. "I need to know my husband's situation as soon as possible. I hope he will be safe and sound, and be firm while going through this difficulty."
The other accused practitioner, Ms. Ng Chye Huay, is currently detained at Singapore Women's Changi Prison. None of her relatives or friends know about her current situation.
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