Falun Gong: A Story of Brutal Persecution and Forced Organ Harvesting

The story of Cheng Peiming, a Falun Gong practitioner, sheds light on the horrifying reality of forced organ harvesting in China. Cheng, who began practicing Falun Gong in 1998, was repeatedly arrested after the practice was banned in 1999. He became a victim of brutal torture and, shockingly, had parts of his liver and lung removed while in a Chinese prison.

In November 2004, despite being in good health, Cheng was forcibly taken to Daqing hospital, where six guards restrained him and administered anesthesia against his will. When he woke up a few days later, he found himself handcuffed to a hospital bed, with tubes for intravenous injection and breathing inserted into his body. Only later did he realize that parts of his liver and lung had been removed during the surgery. His nightmare continued until 2006 when he miraculously escaped the hospital during a second attempt at surgery.

In 2020, Cheng managed to flee to the United States, where doctors confirmed the removal of his organs. In July 2024, at a press conference in Washington, Cheng shared his tragic experience and exposed the Chinese Communist Party’s brutal persecution, particularly the forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners.

Cheng's story is not an isolated incident. Numerous international investigations have confirmed the existence of an organized system in China for harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience, including Falun Gong practitioners. The *China Tribunal* in London concluded in 2019 that organ harvesting from political and religious prisoners continues on a large scale, with Falun Gong practitioners being one of the main sources of organs for transplants. The UN, in a 2021 report, expressed deep concern about forced organ harvesting from religious and ethnic minorities, confirming that detainees undergo medical tests without consent, with their results entered into a database of live donors.

But how did this all start? Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, was founded in 1992 as a spiritual and health practice, combining qigong exercises with elements of Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese folk beliefs. For a few years, the movement had good relations with the Chinese government. However, tensions began in 1995 when the government sought to control Falun Gong by requiring all qigong groups to establish Communist Party branches. Falun Gong's spiritual principles were incompatible with the materialist ideology of the Communist regime, leading to growing friction.

The situation escalated dramatically in 1999 when over 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners peacefully gathered in Beijing, requesting an end to persecution and the release of fellow practitioners detained in Tianjin. Despite initial assurances from the government, Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin saw the protest as a direct threat and ordered a crackdown.

From then on, Falun Gong was officially labeled as a "heretical cult," and a massive propaganda campaign was launched to discredit the movement. Thousands of practitioners were arrested, tortured, and, in many cases, used as involuntary organ donors. The Chinese government's method of dehumanization, drawing from historical methods used by the Nazis and the Inquisition, justified these atrocities. By portraying Falun Gong as a dangerous cult, it became easier to justify the brutal treatment of its followers.

Cheng Peiming's ordeal, alongside countless others, provides undeniable proof of the horrific nature of this repression. Forced organ harvesting is just one of the many forms of persecution inflicted on Falun Gong practitioners. Despite numerous denunciations and evidence collected by international organizations, the Chinese government continues to deny responsibility and perpetuates these crimes.

The international community has a duty to act against these violations of human rights. The case of Falun Gong is not just a matter of religious freedom—it is a matter of human dignity and the right to life. Only greater awareness and collective action can bring an end to these horrific practices and bring justice to the thousands of victims like Cheng Peiming.

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