London, United Kingdom: Forum in Houses of Parliament Focus on the CCP’s Transnational Repression

(Minghui.org) The British Falun Dafa Association held a forum in the Houses of Parliament on July 15, 2025, to discuss religious freedom in China and the increased transnational repression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The forum was hosted by Lord Alton of Liverpool, a founder and a Vice Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Freedom of Religion or Belief. Lord Alton is also Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights in the UK Parliament. During the past 26 years of the CCP’s persecution, Falun Gong practitioners in China have been detained, tortured, and killed. Recently, the CCP has been increasing its efforts to extend that persecution outside of China.

Forum speakers included Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, Marie Rimmer CBE MP, and international human rights lawyer David Matas. Among the guests were Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, one of the first parliamentarians in the UK to pay attention to the organ harvesting in China, and David Smith MP, UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief.

After two Falun Gong practitioners shared their experience of the CCP’s transnational repression, several speakers responded by urging the UK government to curb the CCP’s global expansion of human rights abuses. So many people packed the conference room that the host had to add another room to accommodate everyone. Ma Jian, president of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, was in the audience.

A forum on transnational repression by the CCP was held in the UK Houses of Parliament on July 15.

A second conference room had to be added.

Lord Alton: Severe Persecution of Falun Gong by the CCP

Lord Alton of Liverpool, host of the forum

Of all the things the CCP has done to persecute Falun Gong practitioners, forced organ harvesting is probably the worst, according to Lord Alton.

Not only that, since March 2024 Shen Yun and Falun Gong practitioners have received over 150 threats of violence around the world, including bombings, shootings, and sexual assault. Many of the threats were traced to Chinese IPs, and some of them were related to the Huawei Research Institute that has ties to the CCP. Lord Alton also pointed out that the CCP tries to isolate Falun Gong internationally by coordinating online smear campaigns, swaying public opinion, and using spies to infiltrate projects that raise awareness of the persecution. In leaked meeting notes from China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) in June 2024, the YouTuber behind the slanderous reports published by the New York Times was identified as an individual who should receive support from the regime.

In addition, three theaters in the UK received bomb threats this year just before Shen Yun was due to perform. The emails stated outright that bombs would be detonated if the performances were not canceled.

Lord Alton revealed that the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights will decide on July 16 whether to release the Transnational Repression Report. He hopes that the report will be passed smoothly. This report by the Joint Committee of the House of Commons and the House of Lords could be released first in the House of Commons, and then the government would be asked to respond. Once the government responds, it would be discussed in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. This means that many of the things discussed at the forum would be brought to formal debate in Parliament, he explained.

International Human Rights Lawyer: The Threat of Transnational Repression

Attorney David Matas addressed the forum

International human rights attorney David Matas cited the New York Times as an example and questioned why the newspaper ignored the CCP’s human rights abuses, such as forced organ harvesting, and chose to publish articles similar to the CCP’s propaganda that defamed Shen Yun. With bomb threats and other factors, some theaters in North America canceled their Shen Yun performances.

Matas called for an independent investigation into what these media outlets are publishing and the initiation of a supervisory mechanism. He said those who commit threatening acts should be held criminally liable in accordance with the law.

Fortunately, he said, the British House of Lords is taking more action on this issue with legislation. He also said that the international community must face up to the threat of transnational repression and that the G7 countries have begun to address this issue by promoting transparency, accountability, and network monitoring mechanisms.

Matas called on governments, academia, and the media to oppose the totalitarian interference, protect human rights and freedom of speech, and prevent the CCP’s transnational repression from spreading around the world.

Matas also mentioned a key case in 2008 in which a court in Russia classified Falun Gong as an “extremist organization.” The case was eventually appealed to the Russian Supreme Court, which overturned the decision and ruled that the local court’s action violated the European Convention on Human Rights. This was a very important legal decision internationally.

Standing on the Side of Freedom, Justice, and Human Dignity

Marie Rimmer CBE MP

Marie Rimmer MP pushed for the UK to amend the Health and Care Act in 2022 to explicitly prohibit British citizens from participating in illegal organ transplants overseas with a particular focus on China. This amendment marks the first time that the Human Tissue Act has been applied to overseas activities, and British citizens would no longer be able to legally receive organs from unethical sources. She also participated in promoting the amendment to the Medicines and Medical Devices Act to strengthen the informed consent and traceability mechanism for the use of human tissue to prevent illegal organs from entering the UK drug chain.

She pointed out that the UK has always been a beacon of human dignity and the rule of law: “We must take strong measures such as targeted sanctions and public condemnation to hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure that our diplomacy as well as economic and trade cooperation are not based on human rights violations.”

She said history would ask: “Did we speak up and stand up for what is right? Let us answer, ‘Yes.’ Even in our darkest moments, we chose to stand for freedom, justice, and human dignity.”

Let Our Friends, Family, and Neighbors Know the Truth and Speak Out

Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP

In his speech, Sir Iain Duncan Smith said that the CCP is carrying out global transnational repression through its embassies and the United Front system, suppressing religious groups such as Falun Gong. Citing multiple witness testimonies, he pointed out that the repression is no longer limited to China, but has spread to Malaysia, Russia, Poland, and even the UK.

Sir Iain said the British government must make clear that it cannot give greater leeway to a regime that is committing genocide and transnational repression around the world, and that this is simply unacceptable.

Sir Iain urged those attendance to write to their parliamentarians. In addition, they should inform their relatives, friends and neighbors of the facts and speak out together. “Otherwise, we will witness with our own eyes how a free society is eroded bit by bit by foreign totalitarianism in silence,” he said.

Lord Hunt: A Wake-Up Call

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

Lord Hunt said that what the forum speakers had to say was very moving and sobering: “Now, not only in China, but also around the world, we are facing serious human rights violations by multiple authoritarian regimes, which is why it is important to hold these discussions.”

Lord Hunt thanked the host and speakers for giving more people the opportunity to hear these powerful messages.

Raising Awareness

Practitioners did the exercises and displayed banners outside the forum venue.

That day, Falun Gong practitioners held an event outside the Houses of Parliament Building where the forum was held to tell people about the persecution in China. Many passersby stopped to learn more.

Marie Rimmer CBE MP praised Falun Gong practitioners for their efforts.

After the forum, Marie Rimmer MP went to the practitioners’ booth and signed a petition. She complimented the practitioners and said the event was well-organized.

A Falun Gong practitioner from Vietnam told Rimmer that, before she practiced Falun Gong, she had eczema, depression, and headaches and could hardly take care of herself. After she began practicing, her health improved and she was able to take care of her family. She said with gratitude, “I want to tell more people about this wonderful practice.” Rimmer thanked her and said she’d done a great job.

Edward Benson, a farmer from Manchester, said he was impressed by practitioners’ perseverance in their faith. He adamantly opposed the CCP’s suppression of dissidents outside of China and condemned the violence against Hong Kong protesters that was instigated by the Chinese Consulate in Manchester.

Catherine

Catherine, a tourist from France, signed the petition without hesitation. “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are values that the world needs very much. Everyone should have freedom of belief. In fact, kindness and mutual assistance are the cornerstones of human society,” she said.