NZ Government Asked to Act On China’s Forced Human Organ Harvesting

Over 155,000 New Zealanders are calling on Parliament to denounce China for continuing to harvest human organs from live prisoners.

Their petition will be presented to Green Party MP Jan Logie on the steps on Parliament at 1pm on Wednesday, 6 November.

Among those attending the event will be former Chinese political prisoner, Jennifer Zeng, whose story of persecution and imprisonment features in an internationally acclaimed documentary on human rights abuses in China. (Free China – The Courage to Believe).

The documentary is being released in New Zealand to coincide with the presentation of the petition. Jennifer Zeng was imprisoned for her spiritual practice and eventually forced to recant. She now lives in the United States. In China, most transplant organs are harvested from live prisoners, many of them prisoners of conscience like Jennifer.  Human rights activists and organisations have investigated the practice and led international condemnation and protest.

The petition, calls on the New Zealand Government not just to condemn forced human organ harvesting but to also make it illegal for New Zealanders to receive a transplant overseas using an illegally harvested organ. 

Among the supporters of the petition are members of the Falun Gong community over 120 of who have been granted political asylum in New Zealand after fleeing the Chinese government’s religious persecution.

They have brought with them stories similar to that told in the new documentary Free China: The Courage to Believe. 

The documentary is being premiered in New Zealand on 7 November 2013 at Wellington’s Paramount Theatre.  Those attending include Jennifer Zeng and the Free China producer/director Michael Perlman who is known internationally for his award-winning documentaries on human rights issues.

Awards/Nominations
•    “Best of the Fest” at Free thought International Film Festival (Denver, August 3rd)
•    Winner at American Insight Free Speech Film Festival (Philadelphia May 16th)
•    Official Selection at the 17th Palm Beach International Film Festival in 2012
•    Official Selection at the 2012 Ottawa International Film Festival
•    Official Selection at the 2012 Ottawa Free Thinking Film Festival
•    Official Selection at the 2012 LA Indie Film Festival

ENDS

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