Lawmakers Worldwide Demand Urgent Action Against Organ Harvesting

URGENT UPDATE: A coalition of lawmakers from 28 countries has just announced a decisive commitment to combat the abhorrent practice of forced organ harvesting in China. The announcement, made by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), followed their fifth annual summit held in Brussels on November 8, 2023.

This initiative aims to create comprehensive laws to prevent complicity in organ trafficking tied to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) state-sanctioned operations. The IPAC’s members condemned the “abhorrent practice” and pledged to champion legislation targeting organ harvesting, including bans on transplant tourism, sanctions against offenders, and enhanced transparency in transplant procedures.

The issue of forced organ harvesting has been a grim reality in China for decades, particularly affecting Falun Gong practitioners, a spiritual group targeted by the regime. Investigations reveal that since the late 1990s, this practice has expanded significantly, with healthy individuals being forcibly used as organ sources to fuel a billion-dollar transplant industry. The China Tribunal, an independent body, declared in 2019 that the CCP has committed torture and crimes against humanity through forced organ harvesting, particularly against Falun Gong practitioners.

The urgency of this matter has escalated recently, as evidence has emerged indicating that the Uyghur population and other minority groups are also victims of this horrific practice. Lawmakers in various countries are responding; for example, the UK enacted legislation in 2022 to prohibit its citizens from engaging in any organ transactions globally. Additionally, two significant bills—the Falun Gong Protection Act and the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act—passed the U.S. House earlier this year, highlighting a growing international movement against these human rights abuses.

The summit also addressed broader geopolitical concerns, reaffirming IPAC’s stance against unilateral changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. The organization emphasizes that any coercive measures by the CCP, such as undermining Taiwan’s governance or diplomatic relations, will not be tolerated and should invoke a “proportionate international response.”

As global awareness of these issues grows, lawmakers are increasingly focused on reducing dependencies on China’s critical raw materials and insisting on adherence to international law in the South China Sea. The situation demands immediate attention, and advocates urge citizens worldwide to remain vigilant against these violations of human rights.

The call to action by IPAC is a significant step toward eradicating forced organ harvesting. As this situation develops, the world watches closely, urging governments to act decisively against these human rights violations. The time for action is now, and the voices of those affected must be amplified.

Stay tuned for further updates as this urgent issue unfolds.