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	Organ Sales "thriving" in China by BBC News and agencies   November 28, 2006.   China to tighten rules on organ transplants.   The Chinese Government has announced it will tighten organ transplant rules, following a worldwide outcry over organs being forcibly taken from executed prisoners.   Human rights groups say China takes transplant organs from executed prisoners without prior consent, including from political prisoners like Falun Gong members.   Earlier this month, Chinese officials admitted organs are being removed from executed prisoners, but said permission is given.   The Chinese Government has blamed unqualified doctors and profit-hungry hospitals for any abuses.   Today it announced that only a limited number of hospitals now will be licensed to carry out transplants and the Health Ministry will supervise the quality of all surgery.   Public information is still scarce about China"s organ transplant system, which in part supplies wealthy foreigners.   27 September 2006 (BBC News)   The sale of organs taken from executed prisoners appears to be thriving in China, an undercover investigation by the BBC has found. Organs from death row inmates are sold to foreigners who need transplants.   One hospital said it could provide a liver at a cost of £50,000 ($94,400), with the chief surgeon confirming an executed prisoner could be the donor.   China"s health ministry did not deny the practice, but said it was reviewing the system and regulations.   The BBC"s Rupert Wingfield-Hayes visited No 1 Central Hospital in Tianjin, ostensibly seeking a liver for his sick father. Officials there told him that a matching liver could be available in three weeks.   One official said that the prisoners volunteered to give their organs as a "present to society".   He said there was currently an organ surplus because of an increase in executions ahead of the 1 October National Day.   China executes more prisoners than any other country in the world. In 2005, at least 1,770 people were executed, although true figures were believed to be much higher, a report by human rights group Amnesty International said.   In March, China"s foreign ministry admitted that organs from prisoners were used, but said that it was only in "a very few cases".   Spokesman Qin Gang said that the organs were not taken forcibly, but only with the express permission of the convict.   But whether prisoners really are free to make up their own minds on organ donation just before they are executed is not at all clear, our correspondent says.   In April 2006, top British transplant surgeons condemned the practice as unacceptable and a breach of human rights.   But the No 1 Central Hospital carried out 600 liver transplants last year, our correspondent says, and the organ transplant industry has become big business. Visit the related web page
	Independent UN human rights expert highlights serious transgressions in DPR Korea by United Nations News Service   27 September 2006   Independent UN human rights expert highlights serious transgressions in DPR Korea.   Painting a grim picture of the human rights situation in the Democratic People''s Republic of Korea (DPRK), an independent United Nations expert today highlighted egregious transgressions involving the rights to food and life, humane treatment and a host of other freedoms in a report given to the Human Rights Council.   Vitit Muntarbhorn, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK, said that the State had declined to cooperate with him and had not invited him to the country, while the North Korean representative who also spoke during today’s debate denied all findings in the report.   “The situation in the country provides a continuing cause for concern – there are still many transgressions and discrepancies of an egregious nature, which require effective redress”, Mr. Muntarbhorn said, according to a press release from the Council.   Specific concerns raised in this report include women’s rights, particularly violence against women; children’s rights, particularly to protection and participation; the rights of older persons/the elderly; the rights of those with disabilities; and ethnic issues, he continued.   Representatives from 10 other countries also made statements during the debate, before the 47-member Council went on to discuss reports on Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Myanmar.   Akich Okola, Independent Expert on the human rights situation in Burundi, said the new Government had made commendable strides in the area of social and economic rights and had also satisfactorily resolved the issue of political prisoners. However, the overall human rights situation remained of deep concern, he said.   Human rights violations still continued on a daily basis due to the culture of impunity, widespread poverty, and the weakness of the culture of human rights in general, Mr. Okola said, adding that the most violated rights were those to life, physical integrity, safety and inviolability of the person, opinion and expression, and property.   In response, Francoise Ngendahayo of Burundi said elected democratic institutions had only been operating for a year and the period was relatively short to make an objective evaluation of the actions of the Government and in particular of the human rights situation.   The socio-economic situation of the country should also be considered as 12 years of civil war had destroyed the infrastructure, devalued the currency by diminishing the purchasing power of the population, and also destroyed social, moral and human values, the representative added. Six other countries also made related statements.   Turning to the DRC, the report of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights, Titinga Frederic Pacere, was considered in his absence. The report highlighted that the human rights situation continues to be a matter of concern throughout the country, but especially in the eastern regions and in northern Katanga, where militias and other armed groups are committing atrocities.   In response, Marie Madeleine Kalala requested that the Independent Expert visit the DRC in the next few days to see the changes on the ground in a number of key areas.   Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, said that he had not been permitted to conduct a fact-finding mission to the country since November 2003. He said grave human rights violations were taking place not only with impunity but authorized by the sanction of law, adding that the criminalization of the exercise of fundamental freedoms by political opponents, human rights defenders and victims of human rights abuses was a matter of grave concern.   Representatives from 11 countries made statements before the Council discussed a report from Arjun Sengupta, Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty, which highlighted that poverty existed in most countries as a failure of social action.   26 September 2006   UN human rights expert reports on ‘appalling’ conditions for ordinary Palestinians.   Describing a ‘tragic’ human rights situation for ordinary Palestinians living in the occupied territory, an independent United Nations expert today presented his report to the newly established Human Rights Council.   John Dugard, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, said that he wished to speak only about Israeli actions against ordinary, non-militant, non-activist Palestinians who simply wanted to lead a good life, educate their children and enjoy the basic amenities of life.   The human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory had deteriorated since 2001, and was intolerable, appalling, and tragic for ordinary Palestinians, he was reported as saying by a press release from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).   In response, Israeli Ambassador Itzhak Levanon said that while it had been Israel’s intention to disengage from Gaza only to return to it, clearly Israel had the fundamental right and duty to defend and protect its citizens, Mr. Levanon said, adding that any Palestinian Government should renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept existing Israeli-Palestinian agreements.   Representatives from over 20 other countries also spoke during the debate before the 47-member Council moved on to discuss reports on the human rights situations in Cuba, Cambodia, Haiti and Somalia.   In wrapping up her presentation, Christine Chanet, Personal Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Cuba, highlighted the negative effects of the United States embargo, saying it was not a path to democracy and should not continue, but, as per her mandate, she said she could only deplore it and not recommend that it be lifted.   She said there was nothing new in terms of prison or detention conditions in Cuba but that these continued to be a source of concern. There were also no unknown detainees, all were recorded, and there was nothing hidden. Nor had there been any changes with regards to the legal arsenal and while there was some progress in gender equality, more work remained to be done.   Regarding Cambodia, Yash Ghai, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in the country, said he was concerned that few of his or his predecessor’s recommendations had been implemented, and that human rights continued to be violated on a systemic scale.   Responding to Mr. Ghai’s report, Vun Chheang from Cambodia acknowledged the assistance and cooperation provided by the UN but said that the tragic events that took place from 1970 onwards had seriously affected the country, including the loss of skilled individuals and the annihilation of infrastructure.   Presenting his report on Haiti, Louis Joinet, Independent Expert appointed by the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights, highlighted the spirit of conciliation and reconciliation of the Haitian people, saying this had led to progress although acknowledging that much remained to be done, particularly regarding the protection of civilians.   In response, Jean-Claude Pierre of Haiti paid tribute to the Independent Expert and said that the Government had endeavoured to implement his recommendations. He also highlighted that the authorities had reinstated equality between men and women, and in order to curb violence had launched a programme to disarm armed groups.
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