Persecution of Falun Gong

Persecution of Falun Gong refers to the campaign initiated in 1999 by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to eliminate the spiritual practice of Falun Gong in China. This campaign includes a multifaceted propaganda effort, a program of enforced ideological conversion and re-education, and a variety of illegal measures such as arbitrary arrests, forced labor, physical torture, and sometimes death in custody. The persecution has been criticized by human rights organizations and governments around the world.

Background

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with a moral philosophy centered on the tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. It was introduced to the public in China in 1992 by its founder, Li Hongzhi. The practice quickly grew in popularity, with estimates of the number of practitioners ranging from tens of millions in the late 1990s. Concerned by its size, autonomy, and the spiritual teachings of Falun Gong, which it saw as at odds with the atheist ideology of the CCP, the Chinese government initially promoted the practice but by 1996 began to suppress it.

Initiation of the Persecution

The formal nationwide crackdown on Falun Gong began on July 20, 1999, after months of escalating tensions between the government and practitioners. The CCP launched a comprehensive propaganda campaign to justify the persecution, depicting Falun Gong as a dangerous cult and a threat to social stability. The then-leader of China, Jiang Zemin, ordered the creation of the 610 Office, a security apparatus specifically tasked with overseeing the persecution.

Methods of Persecution

The Chinese government's campaign against Falun Gong practitioners has included a wide range of human rights abuses. These include:

• Arbitrary Detention: Thousands of practitioners have been detained without trial in prisons, labor camps, and re-education centers.
• Torture and Abuse: Reports of torture, sexual abuse, and mistreatment of Falun Gong practitioners in custody are widespread.
• Forced Labor: Many detained practitioners are subjected to forced labor in camps where they produce goods for both domestic use and export.
• Death in Custody: There have been numerous reports of practitioners dying as a result of torture and abuse in custody.
• Organ Harvesting: Allegations have emerged that some practitioners have been killed for their organs, which are then sold in China's lucrative transplant market.

International Response

The persecution of Falun Gong has been condemned by international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as by various governments and the United Nations. Efforts to raise awareness and end the persecution are ongoing, with practitioners and supporters conducting peaceful protests, media campaigns, and legal actions around the world.

See Also

• Human rights in China
• 610 Office
• Organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners in China