Human Rights in China says a woman detained for more than a month in China for participating in a hunger strike was physically and mentally abused while in custody.
The New York-based organization said Saturday that veteran petitioner Mao Hengfeng was confined to a room in a Shanghai apartment shortly after being detained in mid-February.
Mao told the organization that she was beaten on several occasions, including one instance when a police officer knelt on her chest and grabbed her neck. She was quoted as saying that the officer said he could "cause the blood to flood to my brain so that cause of death could not be determined."
Human Rights in China said Mao's lawyer was not permitted to see her.
Chinese authorities have not publicly commented on the matter.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
