(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy while Chinese leader Xi Jinping was visiting Paris on March 25, 2019. They protested the 20-year-long persecution of Falun Gong in China and the Chinese regime’s systemic harvesting of organs for transplants from living Falun Gong practitioners incarcerated for their faith.
They called on Xi to immediately stop the heinous crimes against humanity and to apprehend the culprit who launched the persecution in 1999, former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin. They also called on French President Emmanuel Macron to bring up China’s human rights violations when meeting with Xi and to demand an immediate end to the persecution.
Exposing the Chinese Communist Regime’s Crime
Chair of the Falun Dafa Association in France Mr. Tang Hanlong speaks at the rally on March 25, 2019, in front of the Chinese Embassy in Paris.
Mr. Tang Hanlong, chair of the Falun Dafa Association in France, spoke at the rally in front of the Chinese Embassy. He condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for incarcerating, torturing, brainwashing, and harvesting organs from Falun Gong practitioners. “The extent of the brutality is unparalleled in history,” he said.
Mr. Tang spoke about the atrocity of organ harvesting from living practitioners in China. According to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and a UN Special Rapporteur, at one time, two-thirds of the prisoners in China’s forced labor camps were Falun Gong practitioners, and the number detained today is in the hundreds of thousands. The Rapporteur estimated tens of thousands of prisoners of conscience, including Falun Gong practitioners, have their organs removed against their will each year in China. Mr. Tang urged the international community to investigate these issues.
Falun Gong practitioners rally in front of the Chinese Embassy on March 25, 2019.
Dr. Harold King, a member of Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) in France, also condemned the CCP for harvesting organs from Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Christians. He wanted people to know that the crimes of forced organ harvesting and organ transplant tourism in China are undermining medical ethics and go against international treaties.
He is concerned that patients that go to China for an organ transplant will take a great risk, because they will end up violating international law by purchasing organs for transplant. He said, “We are worried that the doctors in China are abused and forced to participate. We want Xi to quickly stop the persecution and the organ transplant tourism.”
Dr. Harold King, member of Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) in France, speaks at the rally.
Alexandre Gabard, an attorney for the Falun Dafa Association, said that the police in Paris have denied practitioners’ applications for a permit to protest in front of the Chinese Embassy three times in the past few years, possibly due to pressure from Chinese officials. All three times the practitioners brought the issue to the Paris Administrative Court of Appeal, which ruled that the practitioners had no intention to sabotage social order and revoked the police department's decision. “The laws in France adamantly protect freedom of speech, assembly and parade, including this event,” Gabard said.
The location the police department approved for the March 25th rally was originally far from the Embassy. When the practitioners appealed, the police revoked the order before the hearing and approved the rally's current location. “I see (Falun Gong practitioners’) perseverance and selflessness. They didn’t give up in this fight, which is a good thing,” Gabard said.
Alexandre Gabard, attorney for the Falun Dafa Association
Parisians Support Falun Gong’s Journey to End the Persecution
Anita Richard has been a practitioner for almost 20 years. She worked in the judiciary system before she retired. She talked to the police and the military police who were dispatched to maintain order at the rally and told them the benefits of the practice. Many of the officers took the Falun Dafa literature she offered and expressed an interest in learning the practice.
Anita Richard is a Falun Gong practitioner.
Paralegal Jeanne was shocked after learning about the persecution and the brutality of the torture suffered by practitioners in China. “I think [organ harvesting from living practitioners] is absolutely unacceptable and scary. It’s against humanity. For me, I can’t believe anyone could have done such thing just for economic gain!” she said.
Jeanne
Anne Marie Jiat was a midwife before she retired. When she heard about practitioners being arrested and killed for their organs because they believed in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, she was overcome with emotion.
“It’s a very important message and everyone should hear it. I will tell people I know about it,” she said. “I hope Macron has spoken to Chinese leader Xi about this issue. How could it be allowed to continue?”
Anne Marie Jiat supports practitioners’ efforts to end the persecution.
Sandrine works for a government agency. She said she was moved by practitioners’ persistent efforts to peacefully protest over the last 20 years. “I am in disbelief that this group of people is suppressed. People must know about this and I support their protests. I am touched by their efforts to fight for peace,” she said.
Sandrine
Category: Rallies & Protests
