After dying in suspicious circumstances in a Chinese prison, a prominent human rights activist has had his organs harvested

 

Chinese officials said that veteran human rights activist, Peng Ming died in hospital after collapsing in Xianning Prison, Hubei Province. Against his family’s will, the authorities forcibly and illegally removed his vital organs such as brain and heart, according to U.S.-based rights group China Aid on Dec.12.

Earlier, China Aid said no death certificate had been issued to the family, which left his cause of death unclear.

Distrustful of the Chinese authorities, Peng’s family members demanded an autopsy by an “international, independent medical authority acceptable to the family.”

Peng, a Christian, had been imprisoned for life over his dissident activities.

Peng’s case comes in the wake of increasing reports about the Chinese state’s harvesting of organs from prisoners of conscience.

The numbers of organ transplants performed in China is estimated to be up to 100,000 per year and the main source of organs comes from prisoners of conscience stated a detailed report released in the U.S. on June 22.

UCAN

UCA News reports about the Catholic Church and subjects of interest to the Church in Asia. Through a daily service, UCA News covers lay activities, social work, protests, conflicts and stories on the faith lives of the millions of Catholics in Asia