(Minghui.org) On June 19, 2013, Italian Falun Gong practitioners came to Milan's famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to expose the Chinese communist regime's vile crimes of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners in China. The gallery connects Milan Cathedral and La Scala Opera House, two of the most famous landmarks in the city, where celebrities often gather.
Practitioners presented the information to lawyers and businessmen participating in a conference at the venue. They were invited by the organizer of the event, Forum Nazionale dei Mediatori e degli Organismi di Mediazione.
Practitioners played a video detailing how an independent investigation by David Matas, a renown Canadian lawyer, and David Kilgour, former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific, found evidence that many state-controlled hospitals in China (including those of police forces and the army) have taken part in killing detained Falun Gong practitioners on demand for their organs.
The regime's appalling crimes against humanity shocked the audience. One audience member was seen bowing his head, joining his hands in front of his chest and praying.
When the video finished playing, the organizer announced an award to David Matas, in recognition of his tireless efforts to investigate and raise global awareness about live organ harvesting in China. As Mr. Matas was not present, a Falun Gong practitioner accepted the award on his behalf.
Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Lin shared her story about how she was persecuted in both a prison and a detention center in China. In 2000, she was illegally sentenced to four years in prison. She was incarcerated in a prison in Shanghai, where she was inhumanely tortured.
Ms. Lin was shocked with electric batons, deprived of sleep and subjected to brainwashing. She and other Falun Gong practitioners were taken to a medical facility to have their blood and organ function tested. Later she learned that this was done so that organ and blood type information could be entered into database, paving way for organ transplantation on demand.
Many people had tears in their eyes upon hearing Ms. Lin's story. As the host of the conference came over and shook her hand, the audience spontaneously stood up and gave all Falun Gong practitioners a warm applause. Afterward, many people came forward to shake hands with practitioners, and some even hugged them to express their support.
On the way out of the conference hall, one lady stopped practitioners and said: “I could not help crying when I heard about such brutal persecution. I would like to invite you to my school, so that you can share your story with the children there and they become aware of the atrocities being committed by the Chinese communist regime in persecuting Falun Gong.”
An elderly businessman inquired about slave labor in China. A Falun Gong practitioner told him: “In prisons and detention centres run by the regime, those who are locked up are forced to make all kinds of products for export, such as clothing, toys and gifts, etc.” The gentleman said, “I now understand why prices for some Chinese products are so low.” He took down the practitioner's contact information so that he could learn more about Falun Gong.
