Taipei Bar Association calls on China to adhere to new laws
Taipei Bar Association calls on China to adhere to new laws:
“There is no justice if the truth is not presented” *
In December 2015, the Taipei Bar Association issued a bold and unprecedented three-part public announcement to address overdue legislation against unethical transplant practices. In spite of its population of 23 million, Taiwan only has about 7,000 practicing lawyers, and government oversight has been historically troublesome with limitations on advocating for domestic and international clients. This number is on the rise, as a record high of 964 candidates passed the Taiwanese bar exam in 2011.
First, the Taipei Bar Association urged the Chinese government to immediately release Falun Gong and all prisoners of conscience. Since the Chinese regime has promised “governing by law” to the international community, the group called upon the CCP to live up to its commitment.
Second, the announcement asks that the Chinese government allow the United Nations Committee Against Torture to conduct independent investigations inside China into allegations of live organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners in particular. China’s organ procurement system remains secretive and lacks transparency despite global condemnation.
Thirdly, the Taipei Bar Association announced full support for Chinese citizens who filed criminal complains against former Chinese Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin, the initiator of the brutal persecution against the Falun Gong. By late 2015, almost 200,000 Chinese citizens had filed criminal complaints with the People’s Supreme Procuratorate and the People’s Supreme Court of China.
Last summer the Taiwanese Yuan passed amendments to Taiwan’s transplant law. The new law, the first of its kind globally, banned organ trafficking making it more difficult for Taiwanese citizens to travel to China for organs. The amendments include: a one to five year criminal sentence against any broker, organ trade and organ tourism within or outside Taiwan, regardless of whether foreign laws punish or not. If doctors engage in brokerage, their license will be revoked.
If organ transplant is done abroad, patients need to file a report with Taiwanese hospitals disclosing the country and hospital where the transplantation took place and which organ was transplanted when seeking aftercare in Taiwan. If failing to do so, the hospital will be fined.
Emboldened by the stricter new laws the Taipei Bar Association sited China as failing to honor its guarantee to process all criminal and civil complaints filed by the public, a dismal failure of the laws protecting human rights in China. The regime has not responded to or acknowledged these efforts. In 2013, a similar statement was issued by the lawyers group and the Chinese government failed to respond at that time.
*The quote was made by Yu Meinu, legislator of the Democratic Promotion Party, former Chairman of Taipei Bar Association.
