Baiyun Detention Center
Location within Guangdong Baiyun Detention Center (China) | |
| Location | Kangduling, Wulonggang, Zhongluotan, Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Guangdong |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 23°22′44″N 113°25′18″E / 23.378933°N 113.421692°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Opened | May 1974 |
| Managed by | Guangdong Prison Administrative Bureau |
| Postal code | 510550 |
| Baiyun Detention Center | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 白云区看守所 | ||
| Traditional Chinese | 白雲區看守所 | ||
| |||
Baiyun Detention Center(Chinese: 白云区看守所)
Overview
The original Baiyun District Detention Center, located in No.171, XizhouZhongLu, Chatou, Songzhou, Baiyun District, was outdated and severely overcrowded.
On March 20, 2012,[1] the new detention facility was relocated to Wulonggang, Zhongluotan Town, Baiyun District. [2]
In 2025, the prison was expanded again. [3]
Inmates
The Baiyun District Detention Center in Guangzhou primarily holds criminal suspects, short-term convicts, and occasionally individuals involved in politically sensitive cases. It also detains foreign nationals accused of crimes or national security offenses. Inmates are usually held before trial or during investigation, with some serving short sentences. Political detainees and foreigners may face stricter conditions and limited access to legal or consular support.
Organizational Structure
The main construction components include detention cell blocks, a visitation building, supporting office spaces, and training grounds. The total construction area comprises: Building 1 – Administrative Office Building: 5 stories above ground, total area of 4,917.88 square meters. Building 2 – Intake and Visitation Building: 2 stories above ground, total area of 2,395.14 square meters. Building 3 – Detention Housing Building: 4 stories above ground, total area of 13,965.69 square meters. Building 4 – Power Supply Building: 2 stories above ground, total area of 369 square meters.[2]
Controversies
Forced Labor
Detainees, regardless of their charges or guilt, were forced to work daily assembling Christmas lights and other goods. Inmates received no compensation for this labor. Work was enforced under the threat of physical punishment, often carried out not by guards but by designated inmates known as "cell bosses" or "the regime."[4]
Basic Needs Deprivation
The prison uses solitary confinement, shackling, and prolonged deprivation of food and toilet access.[5]
Inmate Violence and Abuse
The detention center allegedly operated under a hierarchical system of inmate control, in which guards delegated authority to trusted prisoners who enforced discipline through beatings, threats, and humiliation. According to Foster, those who failed to meet work quotas or violated arbitrary rules were subjected to physical abuse.
Lack of Oversight
Despite regulatory reforms introduced by the Ministry of Public Security in 2009 — including surveillance cameras, emergency alarms in cells, and a ban on inmate-led management — Foster and others saw little evidence of these protections in practice. Guards were reportedly absent for days at a time, and oversight mechanisms such as independent inspections were largely ineffective.
Notable Inmates
- Stuart Foster[6] - An American sociology professor from South Carolina, was detained at Baiyun District Detention Center for nearly eight months in 2013 after being arrested for theft. He described life inside as a “living nightmare,” marked by forced labor, beatings, and minimal contact with legal representatives. After being convicted and sentenced to time served, he was deported to the United States.[7]
- Tang Jingling(Chinese: 唐荆陵) - Human rights lawyer.[8]
- Wang Qingying(Chinese: 王清营) - Activist and college instructor.[9]
- Yuan Xinting(Chinese: 袁新亭) - Activist. [10]
See also
References
- ^ 白云区看守所搬迁至白云区钟落潭镇五龙岗村期间的通知 [Notice Regarding the Relocation of the Baiyun Detention Center to Wulonggang Village, Zhongluotan Town, Baiyun District]. Archived from the original on 25 May 2025.
- ^ a b 白云区拘留所迁建项目 [Baiyun Detention Center Relocation Project].
- ^ 广州市白云区人民政府办公室关于印发广州市白云区看守所南侧地块储备项目土地及房屋征收补偿安置方案的通知 [Notice of the Office of the People's Government of Baiyun District, Guangzhou on Issuing the Land and Housing Expropriation Compensation and Resettlement Plan for the Land Reserve Project on the South Side of the Detention Center in Baiyun District, Guangzhou]. Archived from the original on 25 May 2025.
- ^ Langfitt, Frank (29 May 2014). "U.S. Teacher: I Did 7 Months Of Forced Labor In A Chinese Jail". NPR.
- ^ 一个囚徒的人权报告 [A Prisoner's Human Rights Report]. 改变中国. 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Detained American Provides Glimpse Into Chinese Forced Labor Practices". 24 April 2014.
- ^ "American Jailed for Theft Describes Conditions in a Chinese Detention Center". 22 May 2015.
- ^ "China: 'I was tortured in detention': Released Guangzhou Three activist".
- ^ "Arrest Notice of Wang Qingying".
- ^ "Activists Sentenced to Prison for Demanding Democracy in China". 29 January 2016.
External links
- Official website (not secure)