The European Parliament adopted a resolution on organ harvesting in China. The resolution was tabled by EPP, ALDE, Greens/EFA, ECR, and EFD groups. It expresses deep concern over the persistent and credible reports of systematic, state‑sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience in China, including from large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners imprisoned for their religious beliefs, as well as from Uyghur and Tibetan prisoners. Members noted that China performs more than 10 000 organ transplants per year but has, at the same time, extremely low rates of voluntary organ donation owing to traditional beliefs.
Although noting that China had stated that over 90 % of transplant organs extracted from deceased donors came from executed and that this practice would be phased out by 2015, Parliament stressed that this was not acceptable and called for an immediate end to the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience and members of religious and ethnic minority groups.
It recommended that the EU and its Member States publicly condemn organ transplant abuses in China and raise awareness of this issue among their citizens travelling to China, and for a full and transparent investigation by the EU into organ transplant practices, and for the prosecution of those found to have engaged in such unethical practices.
The Chinese authorities were asked to respond thoroughly to the requests of the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief asking the Chinese Government to explain the sources of extra organs, and to allow them to conduct an investigation into organ transplant practices in China.
Lastly, Members called for the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience in China, including Falun Gong practitioners.