A very sad letter from Joshua Wong, written in prison in Hong Kong detailing his solitary confinement and psychological torture. The English translation follows. Source: Reddit HK
編輯：收到之鋒單獨隔離囚禁期間寫下的來信。他現已結束隔離囚禁，狀態尚好。之鋒在鐵窗之內最為掛心12港人已經送中超過100天，並希望香港人繼續聲援所有失去自由的手足。
《監獄中的監獄》(Please scroll for English version)
在11月23日不幸遭法官在未作判刑前，便宣布即時還柙後，我本來已有意在patreon發表獄中書簡，跟關心我的朋友述說再度入獄的想法。結果卻因當晚突然被單獨囚禁的狀況而大失預算。即便已有三次坐監的經驗，但被送到「監獄中的監獄」囚禁，實在是始料不及。我花了不少時間與精神，方能驅使自己平伏下來整理思緒，過程實在不是容易。
還柙首天，我被送到去年六月才步出的荔枝角收押所，然後進行不陌生的入冊程序 —— 見長官、換囚衣和領取個人用品等。本來我已對這些程序諷刺地感到熟悉，但到了下午四時左右，當我跟林朗彥相繼完成初到荔枝角收柙所的各項程序並呆坐於指模房一角等侯指示時，保安組職員突然將我帶往收押所醫院。我本來以為在獄中見醫生是基於程序需要，結果卻被帶到收押所醫院走廊盡頭的單人囚室，那刻我才深知不妙，也成了惡夢真正的開端。
到達單人囚室後，懲教人員表示我需要等待長官前來講解狀況，並拋下一句「你之後應該都喺到」便離開。等待過程中我感到非常不安，不斷猜想懲教會搬出甚麼原因來把我隔離囚禁於單人囚室。結果千算萬算也算不到，懲教表示我的X光片有不妥——懷疑我肚內藏有異物，諸如毒品、戒指或金銀器等，故此我需要接受為期數天的隔離囚禁。
之前三次入獄也有照過X-ray，自問從來跟毒品二字完全沾不上邊，而還柙前的三餐也是正常食物，對於這個奇怪結果完全摸不着頭腦。另外，因為懲教院方並不允許在囚人士檢查X光片，即沒有途徑和渠道查證，所以對於這個檢查結果更是無從稽考。
因被懷疑體內藏有毒品而在醫院隔離囚禁，囚禁的待遇比起「水飯房」還要不堪。一般而言，還柙侯判的在囚人士於日間均會在有三至四十人的活動室打發時間，而晚上則回到五人囚室休息。惟我被隔離囚禁期間，除了探訪和洗澡以外，基本上是半步都不能踏出這個七十多呎的囚室，不能「放風」亦連一小時户外活動的時間也不被允許。由於整項隔離措施是應對在囚人士體內藏有毒品為前提，所以懲教職員每隔四小時便會來量我的血壓及檢查血含氧量。除了凌晨一時及四時也需起床作檢查外，囚室也是二十四小時開着燈的，所以我需要把CSI口罩當眼罩使用，才能勉強入睡。
最難捱的是，由於整個隔離囚禁的原意是希望體內藏有毒品人士將毒品排出體外，所以我並不能使用囚室的馬桶，而水龍頭也不會有水，以杜絕在囚人士將毒品沖走的可能。取而代之的，就是院所提供的塑膠便盤。但因為便盤的更換次數不足，我只能在洗手盆如廁小解。在囚人士排泄於便盤後，需知會懲教署保安組前來囚室，仔細檢查排泄物有否藏有藥丸或毒品之類的異物。當檢查程序完畢後，職員便會要求在囚人士在一張「單獨觀察」的紙張上簽名作實。我仍然歷歷在目每次簽署時看到紙張清楚列明「懷疑在囚人士體內藏有毒品」一欄，感覺實在很不好受。
據聞隔離囚禁一般為期三至五日，而今天已是正式被單獨囚禁的第二天。但願此信寄出及發佈的時候，我已結束隔離。在還未能適應及消化自己已身處監獄裏的事實，就被送往單獨囚禁，斷絕了一切活動及溝通，的確不好捱，情緒亦難免受到牽動。故此，抱歉我暫未能在大政治和社會環境的層面提供什麼分析，但我知道還有很多手足正在面臨官司，或和我一樣身陷囹圄，還望大家繼續有幾多做幾多，讓他們知道自己不是孤身一人。下周一（30日）是12港人被捕送中100天的日子，亦懇請大家繼續關注。
最後想說，面對未知的官司刑期及種種不確定性，必須坦誠地說會有不安及焦慮，但正如我再步入犯人欄時說到「大家頂住，我知道外面嘅人更加辛苦，繼續努力。」，我也會學習把獄中遭遇的苦難轉化為驅使自己成長的果實。我知道絕不容易，但我會努力頂住，共勉之。
之鋒 25/11/2020
The prison inside prison
After my immediate remand on November 23, I had intended to send letters from the prison to update you my latest situation in jail after my remand on November 23. But owing to the sudden solitary confinement that night, it turned out that I was unable to do so. Although I have been in prison three times, being held in the prison isolation unit is far beyond my expectation. It took me a lot of time and energy to calm myself down and reorganise my thoughts.
On the first day of remand in Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre, I went through the registration procedures—meeting with officers, changing into prison clothes and obtaining daily necessities. The procedures are very familiar as I was released from here in June. At about 4 pm, Ivan Lam and I completed all procedures and waiting for further instructions in the fingerprinting room, officers from the security team suddenly took me to the hospital in the Centre. While I thought it was a normal procedure to see doctor, I was taken to a single cell at the end of the hospital corridor. At that moment, I knew it was the beginning of the nightmare.
After arriving the single cell, the correctional officer told me that I needed to wait for a senior officer to explain the situation and said, “You should be here for a while.” During waiting for the senior officer, I felt very disturbed and kept wondering why they moved me to solitary confinement. In the end, the senior provided a highly unexpected reason—there were “foreign objects” in my stomach, the officer said, they could be drugs, rings or gold and silver objects. Therefore, I needed to be in solitary confinement for several days until they found out what the “foreign objects” were.
I have taken X-rays for a few times, but nothing happened before, I was completely confused about the X-rays result. I have never had anything to do with drugs, and all food I had before remand were normal food. Moreover, under the current policy, the prison administration does not allow inmates to see their X-rays, so there is no way to verify the results.
As the officers suspected I possess drugs in my body, the treatment was even worse than normal solitary confinement. Generally speaking, persons in remand can spend their time in the activity room with three to forty other inmates in the daytime and return to their five-personal cell at night. However, what happened to me was, apart from visiting by my friends and relatives and taking a shower, I basically could not leave the single cell. I was even not allowed to have one hour of outdoor activity. Since the isolation was based on the presumption of possession of drugs, correctional officers would check my blood pressure and oxygen saturation every four hours even at midnight. The light in the cell was also kept turning on 24 hours a day, so I needed to use my face mask as the blindfold to barely put myself to sleep.
The most difficult thing was that since the original intent of the entire confinement was to let persons excrete drugs from their body, so I could not use the toilet in the cell, and the tap did not have water to prevent people from flushing drugs away. Instead, officers would provide a plastic plate. But because of the lack of replacement of the toilet plate, I could only use the washbasin to urinate. After the I excreted in the plate, I needed to inform the officer to come to the cell and check the excrement for any foreign objects such as pills or drugs. When the process was completed, the officers would ask me to sign an “isolated observation” form. I still remembered the uncomfortable feeling when I saw the form clearly stated “suspected possession of drugs in the inmate’s body” every time I signed the paper.
To my understanding, such solitary confinement generally lasts three to five days, and today is the second day of formal solitary confinement. I hope that when this letter is sent and published, the isolation is ended. Before I could adapt the fact that I was already in prison, I was sent to solitary confinement and all activities and communication were cut off. It was indeed difficult to endure, and I am sorry that I have not yet provided any analysis of the politics and social environment. But I know that there are still many other Hong Kong protesters who are facing lawsuits or are in jail like me. I hope you can continue to do as much as you can to let them know they are not alone. Monday (November 30) is the day when 12 Hongkongers were arrested and sent to Mainland China for 100 days, I urge everyone to continue to pay attention to them.
Finally, I want to be frank that, in the face of uncertainties, I just feel uneasy and anxious. However, as I said when I stepped into the dock in the courtroom, “Hang in everyone, I know the situation that the people outside face will be more difficult. Keep fighting.” I will also learn to turn the pains and sufferings I encountered in prison into the power that drives my growth. I know it will never be easy, but I will try my best.
Joshua
25/11/2020
