(Minghui.org) July 20, 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of Falun Gong practitioners peacefully protesting and exposing the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong (also called Falun Dafa). Miriam Lexmann, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), posted messages on social media, strongly condemning the CCP’s forced organ harvesting and demanding that the Party immediately release all illegally detained Falun Gong practitioners.

MEP Lexmann wrote, “Nobody should ever be persecuted because of their faith and belief. The CCP must stop with the persecution of the Falun Gong and be held accountable for the inhumane crimes of forced organ harvesting.” 

Screenshots of MEP Miriam Lexmann’s posts on social media

In addition, she sent sincere wishes on World Falun Dafa Day this year to encourage Falun Gong practitioners who are still being persecuted in China. She wrote on social media, “I extend my heartfelt wishes to all practitioners and I call on the CCP to stop the oppression, and to release all those unjustly imprisoned by the totalitarian regime.

“I pray that one day you and all those oppressed by the CCP will breathe freedom.”

Screenshot of MEP Miriam Lexmann’s post on social media

During a recent debate regarding the European Parliament’s urgent resolution condemning the persecution of Falun Gong, she spoke of the CCP’s bloody and cruel torture of Falun Gong practitioners: “This year alone, there have been a series of reports of practitioners being tortured in various ways: being shocked with electric batons, being sprinkled with chili peppers, having their feet burned, being force-fed mustard oil, or being deprived of food and sleep. Several female practitioners were sexually assaulted. And we should not forget the CCP’s disgusting practice of harvesting organs from living practitioners.”

MEP Miriam Lexmann spoke during the debate on the European Parliament’s urgent resolution.

MEP Michael Gahler, a senior member of the EU from Germany, is the core initiator of the European Parliament’s urgent resolution condemning the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong. Mr. Gahler has long been concerned about and committed to ending the Chinese Regime’s continued persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. 

In his speech during the debate this year regarding the resolution, MEP Gahler pointed out: “Practicing Falun Gong does not harm anyone, nor does it pose a threat to the country. However, since 1999, the CCP has regarded the practice of Falun Gong as a threat to its ideology and launched the persecution. A specific case is the illegal trial of Chinese Falun Gong practitioner Ding Yuande last year. All of these people must be released unconditionally and allowed to practice their own beliefs or culture, which is also stipulated in the Chinese Constitution.”

MEP Michael Gahler speaks during the debate on the European Parliament’s urgent resolution condemning the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

In addition, he called on the EU and its member states to publicly condemn China’s abuse of organ transplantation and to use the EU’s global human rights sanction policy and corresponding national sanction policy to sanction all criminals and entities involved in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China and overseas. He emphasized that EU measures should include visa denial, freezing of assets, expulsion from EU territory, criminal prosecution (including criminal prosecution based on extraterritorial jurisdiction), and criminal charges based on international law.

Finally, the MEP pointed out, “[Implementing these sanctions] is our responsibility to those innocent Chinese citizens who need to be released.”

Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?

Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Its teachings are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings and exercises have experienced improved health and well-being. 

Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology. On July 20, 1999, he issued an order to eradicate the practice. 

Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization that has the power to override the police and judicial systems. Its sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa. 

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 24 years. However, the actual number is believed to be much higher, due to the difficulty in getting information out of China. Countless practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith. 

There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.