SOURCE: Conscience Foundation
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May 08, 2008 06:00 ET
China's Organ Harvesting Questioned Again by UN Special Rapporteurs: FalunHR Reports
SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - May 8, 2008) - Two United Nations Special Rapporteurs have
reiterated their previous findings on China's organ harvesting. Once again,
they requested the Chinese government to fully explain the allegation of
taking vital organs from Falun Gong practitioners and the source of organs
for the sudden increase in organ transplants that has been going on in
China since the year 2000.
Citing recently published 2008 annual reports of the UN Special
Rapporteurs, the Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group (FalunHR) applauds
the joint request that Ms. Asma Jahangir and Mr. Manfred Nowak, the UN
Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Religion or Belief and on the Question of
Torture, sent to the Chinese government.
The request is a follow-up of their previous communications to the Chinese
government on August 11, 2006, made jointly with Ms. Sigma Huda, the UN
Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons. Drawing on information
submitted by individuals and volunteer groups, including FalunHR, the three
Special Rapporteurs highlighted and raised questions about the identifiable
sources of organs, the short waiting times for finding perfectly-matched
organs, and the correlation between the sudden increase in organ
transplants in China and the beginning of the persecution of Falun Gong
practitioners.
Although the Chinese government responded in November 28, 2006, with
categorical denials, it failed to address the critical issues raised by the
Special Rapporteurs. The follow-up communication by Ms. Jahangir and Mr.
Nowak, sent on January 25, 2007, holds the Chinese government to address
those critical issues.
FalunHR (www.falunhr.org) has posted the Special Rapporteurs' original and
follow-up communications at
http://www.falunhr.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1693&Itemid=0
The Special Rapporteurs' original communication is documented in their
respective 2007 annual reports, and their follow-up communications in their
2008 annual reports. The annual reports of UN Special Rapporteurs typically
document their previous year's activities.
It is important to note that, in their 2008 annual reports, Ms. Asma
Jahangir and Mr. Manfred Nowak also reported their joint urgent action,
together with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, on behalf of Mr.
Cao Dong, a witness to China's organ harvesting of Falun Gong
practitioners. On May 21, 2006, in Beijing, Mr. Cao gave his testimony on
China's organ harvesting to Edward McMillan-Scott, the Vice-President of
the European Parliament. Following the meeting, the Chinese authorities
arrested Mr. Cao. Reports indicate that Mr. Cao was sentenced to five years
in prison for "accepting illegal interviews."