The room was small. The two beds were pressed almost together. There was no toilet seat. I had to use a ladle to scoop water to clean the toilet after using it.

I was made to sit up straight, facing the wall in a tiny space. One bright light shone directly onto my face. Even though it was winter, the air-conditioner was blowing cold air. My captors wore big cotton padded coats. I had sweated a lot on the way there, crammed into the car between the guards, with my head in a plastic bag and wearing my thick jacket. My jacket was so wet with sweat I couldn’t wear it anymore.

Four armed policemen and two younger guards took turns monitoring me. They made sure I knew who was in charge, saying: “Our soldiers take orders from the top. If you don’t behave, we will break your kneecaps.” I wasn’t allowed to sleep. I was cold and tired. It was hard to sit still. If I didn’t sit properly, they would kick me.

Soon after we arrived, they started to make me do military drills. An armed police officer demonstrated how to squat, stand to attention, stand at ease, turn and salute, each position requiring precise movements and timing. When I squatted, I had to put my hands behind my neck and keep my body straight. I had to practice folding a blanket into a right angle, like the shape of tofu. This was not easy for me. The hardest part for me was giving military salutes to my captors.

Their purpose was to break my determination, to make me accept their power. They sometimes use this kind of military training on detainees they don’t like. The armed police in China have strong bodies, but very simple minds.

Liu Shuhui

Image Liu Shuhui

Mr. Liu, born in 1966, practiced law for a decade until the authorities refused to renew his license in 2010. In February 2011, he was assaulted by plainclothes security officers in Guangzhou for trying to photograph a demonstration that was part of what was called the Jasmine Revolution. The assault left him with deep bruises and a gash on his left leg. Days later he was arrested and held in secret detention for four months; his wife, who is Vietnamese, was held for 17 days, then deported.