Compassion Magazine 2010

International measures taken in response to the allegations with the aim of curbing the practice

Stemming the flow of foreign recipients traveling to China for organs; Ceasing academic training and cooperation with Chinese doctors on organ transplantation.

Ethan Gutmann, adjunct fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, author of Losing the New China

In November 2008, the Weekly Standard magazine featured a cover story on organ harvesting by Gutmann, who had spent two years conducting research for a book about Falun Gong, including interviews with approximately 100 refugees. The article described systematic and suspicious medical testing of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience for the purpose of extracting and selling their organs.

United Nations Human Rights Bodies

David Matas and David Kilgour from Bloody Harvest: The Killing of Falun Gong for Their Organs

“When we began our work, we had no views whether the allegations were true or untrue. The allegations were so shocking that they are almost impossible to believe. Our preference would have been to find the allegations to untrue. The allegations, if true, represented a disgusting form of evil, which, despite all the depravities humanity has seen, was new to this planet. The very horror made us reel back in disbelief. But disbelief did not mean that the allegations were untrue.

Forced Organ Removal from Falun Gong Prisoners of Conscience

In March 2006, allegations first surfaced of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience being deliberately killed in custody so that their organs could be used in transplant operations. Since then, a series of independent studies and analyses have uncovered evidence affirming the credibility of the allegations, although no doctor has yet to come forth and admit being directly involved in such procedures.

International Legal Developments: Landmark Indictments of Top CCP Officials for Torture, Crimes Against Humanity, Genocide

By the end of 2009, over 70 civil and criminal complaints had been filed against Chinese officials in 30-plus national courts on six continents on behalf of Falun Gong victims of persecution in China. Leading the effort has been a small but dedicated group of attorneys at the Human Rights Law Foundation, a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch (HRW) first began researching and reporting on the persecution of Falun Gong in the days immediately following the ban on the practice on July 20, 1999. In 2002, it issued a thorough report about the origins of the persecution, highlighting in particular the ban’s illegality and the Chinese authorities’ attempts to dress it in a “rule of law” veneer. Since that time, HRW has continued to periodically address abuses against Falun Gong practitioners in its annual report, in-depth reports on other rights issues, and testimonies before Congress.

Chinese Human Rights Defenders

Chinese Human Rights Defenders is a small organization that is a relatively new addition to the field of monitoring human rights in China, having become active in late 2005. Thanks to a well-developed network of informants and activists throughout China, it has quickly developed a reputation as a credible source of information on developments in the country.

Freedom House

Since 1999, Freedom House has been one of the most consistent international voices in support of Falun Gong practitioners’ right to practice their faith without fear of persecution. In 2000, Freedom House included Falun Gong practitioners in its delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. In March 2001, the organization awarded Falun Gong founder Li Hongzhi and the Falun Dafa Association its International Religious Freedom Award.

Amnesty International

Amnesty International (AI) first began researching and reporting on the persecution of Falun Gong in the days immediately following the ban on the practice on July 20, 1999. Since that time, abuses against Falun Gong practitioners have been a regular feature of the China section of AI’s annual report. Thanks to multiple Urgent Actions that have been issued for adherents in imminent danger of being tortured, thousands of AI members have written to the Chinese authorities on behalf of practitioners and in several instances, contributed to better treatment or early release.