On Thursday 18 January in Strasbourg, MEPs adopted by a show of hands a resolution put forward by 5 political groups (Greens/EFA, S&D, Renew Europe, ECR and EPP) on the persecution of followers of the Falun Gong spiritual movement in China, in particular Ding Yuande.
“We once again highlight the plight of Falun Gong practitioners. It is a practice that harms no one, and is not a danger to the State, but apparently the Party has considered it a threat to its ideology since 1999”, said one of the authors of the resolution, Michael Gahler (EPP, German), during the debate on the subject, which took place the day before the vote.
In this resolution, the European Parliament revisits the documented cases of detention, torture, psychological abuse and organ removal committed in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) against Falun Gong practitioners.
It is particularly interested in the case of Mr Ding, who was detained for 8 months before being sentenced to 3 years’ imprisonment on 15 December.
The European Parliament therefore calls on the PRC to put an immediate end to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and other minorities, including Uighurs and Tibetans, and demands the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Ding and all Falun Gong practitioners in China.
To see the resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/afr (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)