14/09/2006

A Green Party spokesperson Chris O'Leary has called on Cork City's elected representatives to withdraw the city's twinning with Shanghai following further reports of human rights violations.

Cllr O'Leary said: "I have been calling on Cork City Council to stand up to its responsibility and pull out of the twinning with Shanghai for many years due to the Chinese regime's abhorrent abuse of human rights.

The issue of human organs being harvested from systemically murdered practitioners of Falun Gong by the Chinese state was also raised in the European Parliament recently by Fine Gael MEP/TD Simon Coveney.

"While it is commendable that Simon Coveney raised the issue in the European Parliament as a motion concerning trade with China was being discussed, it is unfortunate that this does not seem to be a view shared by his Fine Gael colleagues on Cork City Council," said Mr O'Leary.

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