Guangdong Women's Prison

Guangdong Women's Prison(Chinese: 广东女子监狱) is one of the largest correctional facilities for women in southern China. Located in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, the prison is operated by the Guangdong Provincial Prison Administration Bureau and is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China.

Guangzhou Women's Prison primarily houses female inmates convicted of crimes ranging from drug trafficking to financial fraud, as well as foreign nationals convicted under Chinese law. The facility is known for its strict enforcement of China's criminal code.

The Guangdong Provincial Guangzhou Women's Prison has a total of 14 internal departments, including the Office, Command Center, Information Technology Department, Prison Administration Department, Living and Sanitation Department, Internal Investigation Department, Education and Rehabilitation Department, Rehabilitation Quality Assessment Department, Sentence Execution Department, Discipline Inspection and Audit Department, Planning and Finance Department, Labor Reform Department, Work Safety Supervision and Management Department, and the Political Office (Police Supervision Team).^[1][2]

Information about Guangdong Women's Prison is limited due to the opaque nature of the Chinese prison system. Like other correctional institutions in China, it includes vocational programs and labor assignments, though human rights groups have criticized the system for lack of transparency, limited family access, and restricted legal representation.

Inmates suffering from serious illnesses conditions going untreated or receiving delayed care. Insufficient medical transparency and lack of independent oversight contribute to long-term health risks for prisoners.

The prison tightly controlled visitation procedures, with state monitors present during visits and allegedly documenting conversations. Access to phone calls, mail, and visits is reportedly limited, particularly for foreign nationals, contributing to concerns over psychological well-being and isolation. These practices have been criticized as obstructing both humanitarian support and legal advocacy.

There have been reports of racially motivated abuse and discriminatory treatment of non-Chinese inmates within Guangdong Women's Prison. Foreign prisoners, especially those minority backgrounds, are allegedly more vulnerable to verbal abuse, unequal treatment, and isolation. Advocacy groups claim that internal complaint mechanisms are often ineffective.^[3]

Guangdong Women's Prison has been accused of using forced labor assignments. Like many other Chinese prisons, the facility incorporates labor assignments into daily life, often involving textile manufacturing, assembly work, or handicrafts. International human rights organizations argue that the work may constitute involuntary servitude.^[4]

The broader judicial context surrounding Guangdong Women's Prison has drawn attention for lack of due process protections. Even though the courts acknowledged that the defendants had been deceived. Human rights organizations have expressed concern that coerced confessions, language barriers, and limited legal representation may compromise the fairness of trials and sentencing.

• Dawn Michelle Hunt

Dawn was born on 12 June 1971, an 42-years-old American citizen from Chicago, convicted of drug smuggling in 2014. She was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve—a sentence that was later commuted to life imprisonment. Her case has drawn international attention due to she was an unwitting drug mule and was exploited through an elaborate scam.^[5]

Family members have reported concerns about Hunt's physical and psychological wellbeing in prison. They have alleged mistreatment, including racial discrimination and sexual assault during initial detention. Medical records obtained by the family indicated the presence of tumors in her reproductive organs, though she reportedly declined surgery due to a lack of trust in prison medical staff.

• List of prisons in Guangdong
• Capital punishment in China
• Death sentence with reprieve

• Official website (not secure)