(Minghui.org) The Global Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held a rally on the square in front of the State Library Victoria in Melbourne on December 10, 2022, International Human Rights Day. Australian politicians, well-known human rights lawyers, and community leaders attended and called for an end to the CCP’s persecution of innocent people.

Both sides of the rally were lined with wreaths and portraits of Falun Dafa practitioners tortured to death by the CCP. Many people stepped closer and read the information carefully. Banners and guest speeches drew passers-by who stopped and learned about the event. Many people signed the petition calling to end the persecution.

People sign the petition calling to end the CCP’s persecution during the rally in Melbourne on December 10.

Falun Dafa Representative Calls on Australian Government to Speak out for Those Persecuted in China

Tina Sofos, speaking on behalf of the Falun Dafa Association of Australia, Victorian Branch, said in her speech, “As you may be aware, Falun Dafa, otherwise known as Falun Gong, is a meditation practice of mind and body, with teachings based upon the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. Those that practice often report increased energy, improved physical and mental well-being, and a sense of inner peace.

“While Falun Dafa is freely practiced in more than 100 countries around the world, Falun Dafa practitioners are brutally persecuted in Mainland China at the hands of the Chinese Communist regime. Up to 100 million practitioners have suffered repression, with many being subjected to torture, forced labor, unlawful incarceration, and some have even been murdered for the sale of their vital organs.”

Ms. Sofos emphasized the sexual violence and torture suffered by practitioner Jiang Yongqin in China, whose family member is a Falun Gong practitioner living in Melbourne. She called on the Australian government and people to uphold justice for Falun Gong practitioners and all innocent people who have been persecuted by the CCP and to stop the persecution.

Australian Senator: Australia Should Pass More Legislation to Stop Human Rights Abuses

Senator Janet Rice of Australian Greens addressed the rally.

Australian Green Party Senator Janet Rice condemned the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibetan groups. Rice emphasized that human rights are enjoyed by everyone, so no one should think it’s not important just because these human rights violations and abuses happen in other countries.

Rice said that in China, the Falun Gong group is regarded by the rulers as dissidents to be eliminated, and practitioners have suffered unimaginable persecution such as live organ harvesting. She said she first learned about live organ harvesting in 2006, “And after learning about that, it’s something that you can’t forget.”

Rice said that the Australian government passed the Magnitsky legislation to sanction CCP officials who committed human rights crimes, but there is still much that people can do. She called on everyone to take action, talk to Members of Parliament, regardless of their party affiliation, and urge them to propose and pass more sanctioning legislation.

She encouraged everyone to “never give up” until we do have justice for the people of China.

Human Rights Lawyer: Seek Justice for Victims of Live Organ Harvesting by the CCP

David Matas, renowned human rights lawyer from Canada, speaking at the rally

Renowned human rights lawyer David Matas, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, spoke at the gathering as a special guest. He compared the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with the CCP’s human rights abuses to help people recognize the nature of the CCP regime.

“If we look at the Declaration, and then we look at China, we see massive disrespect, disregard and violations,” said Matas.

As one of the independent investigators of the report on the CCP’s live organ harvesting, Matas has been concerned about the well-being of the Falun Gong group, which is the main source of forced organ donors. “Though the evidence of this mass killing is incontrovertible, evidence beyond a reasonable doubt, many people, when they hear of this violation, express surprise and disbelief.” Widespread forced organ harvesting has always existed and continues today. Matas called it an evil that has never been seen on this planet.

“Those killed for their organs cannot stand before us and ask for a remedy. It’s up to all of us to provide justice for them. Stand up for human rights by standing up for the rights of these victims,” Matas said.

“This year’s Human Rights Day slogan is ‘Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All’,” Matas said. “We will be able to bring to justice in Australia those complicit in the mass killing in China of prisoners of conscience for their organs when ordinary Australians are as outraged by this mass killing as the targeted populations.”

The CCP Has No Bottom-line in Morality

Ruan Jie, a leader of the Chinese community in Melbourne, speaks at the rally.

Ruan Jie, a leader of the Chinese community in Melbourne, appealed to overseas Chinese and governments of various countries in his speech, “Although we are outside of China, we must support Chinese people in their struggle for human rights and freedom.”

Talking about the CCP’s live organ harvesting, Ruan Jie said, “The CCP has broken the bottom line of human morality. We should not tolerate such things happening on the land that raised us, otherwise, our future generations will be ashamed of us.”

Every Civilized Person Should Agree with Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance

Peter Westmore, former president of National Civic Council, the famous Australian think tank, and a contributor to Newsweek, speaks at the rally.

Peter Westmore, former president of National Civic Council and a contributor to Newsweek, said, “Falun Gong practitioners in China have been persecuted and killed as a result of standing up for their beliefs, not for breaking any law.”

Westmore said people thought Falun Gong, Tibetans and Uyghurs are separate problems, “They are different aspects of the single problem. And that problem is the exercise in unlimited power by the Chinese Communist Party, which actually doesn’t only repress those minorities, but actually represses all people living in China.”

Former Chairman of the Australian Vietnam Association: Stopping the Persecution Needs Everyone’s Voice

Bon Nguyen, former Chairman of the Australian Vietnamese Association, addressed the rally.

Bon Nguyen, former chairman of the Australian Vietnamese Association, strongly condemned the CCP’s atrocities of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners at the rally, and condemned Jiang Zemin, late former leader of the CCP who initiated and maintained the persecution of Falun Gong.

In an interview with a Minghui reporter, he said, “I came to Australia as a refugee. I fled my country with my parents when I was eleven years old because of human rights issues. At that time, my family and I risked our lives because we had only 1 to 10% chance of survival.”

“So I don’t take human rights and democracy for granted,” he said. “International Human Rights Day reminds us that when you live in a free country, you need to remember that your fellow human beings are suffering elsewhere. Communist countries still exists. You think your voice is small, not that important, no one hears. No, everyone’s voice is important. Therefore, everyone needs to speak up to stop the persecution.”

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. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and have learned the five 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 and 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 with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose 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 23 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. 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.