U.S. Condemns 26 Years of CCP Persecution of Falun Gong, Transnational Repression Escalates
Washington D.C. – July 17, 2025 – The United States government is intensifying its condemnation of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing persecution of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice, as evidence mounts of the CCP extending its suppression tactics beyond China’s borders and into the U.S. The State Department today issued a strong call for the immediate cessation of the 26-year campaign against Falun Gong practitioners and their families, labeling it one of the most severe human rights crises of our time. This breaking news comes amid growing bipartisan concern in Congress and a surge in reported incidents of harassment and intimidation targeting Falun Gong adherents within the United States.
A Quarter Century of Suppression
The CCP launched a nationwide crackdown on Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, after the practice – which combines meditation and moral teachings centered around Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance – rapidly gained popularity throughout the 1990s, attracting an estimated 70 to 100 million practitioners. Initially supportive, the CCP later viewed Falun Gong’s widespread appeal and independent nature as a threat to its authoritarian control. The subsequent persecution has involved widespread arrests, imprisonment in labor camps, and documented cases of torture, all aimed at forcing practitioners to renounce their beliefs.
Data compiled by Minghui.com, a Falun Gong information website, confirms thousands of deaths resulting from the persecution, though the true number is believed to be significantly higher due to the CCP’s strict control over information. This suppression isn’t simply a domestic issue; it’s a stark example of how authoritarian regimes attempt to stifle dissent and control thought.
Allegations of Horrific Organ Harvesting
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the CCP’s persecution is the mounting evidence of systematic, state-sponsored organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners. Independent investigations, including a landmark ruling by the London Independent People’s Tribunal in 2019, have concluded that Falun Gong practitioners are a primary source of organs for China’s booming transplant industry. This practice, driven by immense profit, represents a profound violation of human dignity and international law. The scale of this alleged atrocity remains uncertain, but the implications are chilling.
U.S. Lawmakers Demand Action
Responding to the escalating crisis, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed both the Falun Gong Protection Act and the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act, sending them to the Senate for review. These bills aim to impose sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the persecution and organ harvesting. Furthermore, five U.S. states have already enacted legislation restricting residents from traveling to China for organ transplants, acknowledging the ethical concerns surrounding the sourcing of organs.
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) recently emphasized the urgency of these measures, calling the practice of live organ harvesting “extremely impressive” in its brutality. He also highlighted a recent case involving a Chinese intern doctor who allegedly gathered evidence of organ harvesting within his hospital before his untimely death. “We must let the CCP know that we will never tolerate such atrocities,” Scott stated.
Transnational Repression Reaches U.S. Soil
The CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong is no longer confined to China. Since 2022, under the direction of Xi Jinping and the Ministry of State Security, the CCP has reportedly launched a coordinated campaign of transnational repression targeting Falun Gong practitioners and supporters within the United States. This includes spreading disinformation through social media and Western media outlets, attempting to use legal means to suppress local Falun Gong groups, and even attempting to influence U.S. government investigations.
The FBI recently disrupted a CCP spy operation aimed at bribing IRS officials to revoke the tax-exempt status of Shen Yun Performing Arts, a world-renowned Chinese classical dance and music company founded by Falun Gong practitioners. Shen Yun, which portrays traditional Chinese culture “before communism,” has become a particular target of the CCP’s ire.
Over 140 violent threats, suspected to be orchestrated by the CCP, have been reported against Falun Gong groups across the U.S. since 2024, including personal attacks and bomb threats. One particularly alarming incident involved a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of the Kennedy Center during a Shen Yun performance, prompting a public condemnation from the White House.
A Test for Western Democracies
Levi Browde, Executive Director of the Falun Dafa Information Center, argues that the CCP’s attempts to export its persecution represent a critical test for Western democracies. “The issue of Falun Gong is not only about stopping the terrible human rights disaster in China, but also a touchstone, testing whether Western democracies can safeguard their sovereignty and national security in the face of the CCP’s continued and increasingly complex transnational repression,” he stated.
Increasingly, members of Congress are advocating for linking human rights considerations to economic and trade relations with China. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) believes that “all China policy should be centered on human rights,” while Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) argues that trade is a “powerful weapon” to compel the CCP to improve its human rights record. The idea is simple: if the CCP continues to violate human rights, access to the U.S. market should be restricted.
The unfolding situation underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive and coordinated response to the CCP’s human rights abuses and its attempts to undermine democratic values both at home and abroad. Staying informed and demanding accountability from our elected officials are crucial steps in protecting fundamental freedoms and standing up for those who are unjustly persecuted.
