European Parliament’s Hearing on Forced Organ Harvesting in China on January 29, 2013

Brussels – On January 29, 2013, a hearing in the European Parliament entitled “Religious Persecution by China: A Horror Story” was convened by Edward McMillan-Scott, EP Vice-President for Democracy and Human Rights, in conjunction with the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO). A distinct panel of doctors, politicians and human rights defenders discussed at the hearing how prisoners of conscience in China are persecuted, tortured, and in some cases, killed for their organs. Leonidas Donskis, EP Human Rights Subcommittee Member, stated that “People who are behind this are criminals. This is a crime against humanity.” Tunne Kelam, EP Foreign Affairs Committee, mentioned that “if we don’t take knowledge seriously about this practice, we have become morally and politically co-responsible for what’s going on.”