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Chinese flags in front of a facility that apparently functions as a re-education camp for Uyghurs (archive image)
Photo: GREG BAKER / AFP
The accusations are "extremely alarming," say the UN special rapporteurs and the UN working group against arbitrary detention: According to experts, there are indications of organ harvesting from minority prisoners in China.
The twelve independent UN experts announced that they had received "credible information" in this regard.
"Forced organ harvesting in China seems to target members of certain ethnic, linguistic or religious minorities who are detained in various locations - often without being explained the reasons for the arrest or without any arrest warrants." According to the UN experts, the detainees are being detained apparently forced to have blood tests and ultrasound and x-rays.
The test results would then be registered in a transplant database.
Hearts, kidneys, livers and corneas are apparently the most frequently removed organs.
According to the reports, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Muslims and Christians are also affected in addition to members of the banned spiritual movement Falun Gong.
Beijing rejects the allegations
A spokesman for the Chinese representation in Geneva accused the UN experts of "slandering" China.
Beijing "strongly opposes and categorically rejects these allegations," he said.
The UN experts lack "rudimentary thinking and judgment."
They fell for the "disinformation of anti-Chinese separatist forces" and the Falun Gong movement.
China is repeatedly confronted with accusations of forcibly removing organs from prisoners.
Beijing has consistently denied the allegations.
According to UN experts, the United Nations criticized the alleged organ harvesting against the Chinese government as early as 2006 and 2007.
At the time, however, Beijing did not provide sufficient data on the origin of transplant organs.
aar / AFP
