Urgent Call to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights

PARIS, May 6, 2022 — Forced Organ Harvesting from living people specifically to sell their organs for profitable transplant surgeries is among the most egregious crimes against humanity conceivable. Witnesses first testified about China’s abuses before U.S. Congress in 2001. In 2006, allegations were raised of the brutal persecution of Falun Gong, a peaceful spiritual discipline that follows the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance whose adherents are subjected to the industrialized practice of organ harvesting throughout China’s military and civilian hospital systems.

A plethora of research, investigation and testimony have compiled copious evidence of organ harvesting since 2006 which was reviewed and assessed by the independent China Tribunal, chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice. Their judgment concludes unanimously that Falun Gong practitioners have been victims of this transplant abuse. 2019 and 2022 peer-reviewed publications add further evidence. In June 2021 a group of 12 U.N. Special Rapporteurs expressed concerns about forced organ harvesting in China. After a U.S. congressional House Resolution 343 in 2016, the European Parliament has passed the resolution, “Reports of continued organ harvesting in China” [P9 TA(2022)0200] on May 5, 2022.

The accumulated evidence on forced organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners validated by concerns expressed by parliamentary bodies leaves no doubt that the time to act is now.

Between 2012 and 2018, DAFOH has organized a global petition campaign to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights demanding he call upon China to immediately stop the forced organ harvesting and to conduct further investigations. More than three million people in over 50 countries and regions signed the petition, reflecting a global concern by the public that action be taken to stop China’s unethical transplant practices. In a recent side event to the UNHRC in March 2022, panelists proposed the establishment of a U.N. Special Rapporteur on forced organ harvesting.

In consideration of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s visit to China in the upcoming days, we would like to highlight point twelve of the European Urgent Resolution “On continued reports on Forced Organ Harvesting’ adopted yesterday by the European Parliament(1):

“12. Requires that the Chinese authorities grant open, unfettered and meaningful access to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the mandate holders of the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council to visit Xinjiang; asks the Chinese Government to cooperate with the UN organisations on this matter; urges the UN Human Rights Council to deal with the issue of forced organ harvesting as a matter of priority;”

We therefore, call upon Mme High Commissioner to acknowledge the evidence prompting concerns by millions of people around the world and demand that China end unethical and illegal transplant practices and to allow free and independent investigations.

Torsten Trey, MD, PhDDAFOH, Executive Director

Thierry ValleCAP Liberté de Conscience, President

Contact :harold.king@dafoh.orgcontact@coordiap.com

(1)European Parliament resolution of 5 May 2022 on the reports of continued organ harvesting in China (2022/2657(RSP). Here

China: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell in the EP debate on organ harvesting. Here