CHINA TOPIX

11/21/2024 10:22:15 pm

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Canadian Beauty Queen Speaks Out Against China's Human Rights Record

Anastasia Lin

(Photo : Getty Images) The Canadian beauty has provoked China's wrath after accusing it of human rights abuses.

Miss World contestant Anastasia Lin is back in the limelight.

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Lin, whose advocacy for victims and human rights abuses in China had infuriated Beijing, was given the green light to speak to the media by pageant organizers on Wednesday, bringing an end to a three-week stand-off in Washington.

The stand-off had drawn unfavorable attention to the popular beauty pageant that has become increasingly dependent on Chinese corporate sponsors.

According to her friends and family, Lin has been warned by employees of the beauty pageant that she is at  risk of getting ejected from the competition if she speaks publicly about the Chinese government-sanctioned transplant programs.

Human rights advocates said that the program relies heavily on the organs of people who died in prison. China has, however, denied the allegations, insisting that organ donations in the country are voluntary.

In a brief interview, the Chinese-born Canadian declined to reveal whether she had been ordered to remain silent on the issue, opting instead to praise the Miss Word Organization for allowing her to compete in the finals.

"To their credit, they did give me this platform, and I'm able to speak freely now," Lin said.

She also revealed that the pageant's executive director, Julia Morley, had allowed her to attend the premiere of the feature film, "The Bleeding Edge," which she stars in.

The film aims to dramatize the cruelties of what human rights advocates describe as Chinese government's programs that harvest the organs of prisoners.

Last year, Lin was barred by China from attending the Miss World finals in Sanya. According to Lin, pageant officials had made no effort to intervene on her behalf. They did, however, allowed her to retain the Miss Canada title for another year, smoothing the way for her to participate in this year's finals.

Lin wants to shed the spotlight on her advocacy for the Falung Gong, a spiritual movement that has been banned in China. Lin and other critics of the Chinese government said that Falung Gong followers who die in prison are made unwilling organ donors for China's profitable transplant industry.

However, she is skeptical that her awareness program will make it past China's censorship but believes that her appearance in the finals could inspire others to stand up to Beijing.

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