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Coercive Family Planning at Apple Facilities in China? Chen Guangcheng and Others Raise Question

Contact: Reggie Littlejohn, Women's Rights Without Frontiers, 310-592-5722

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 7, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Reggie Littlejohn, President of Women's Rights Without Frontiers, has joined forces with blind activist Chen Guangcheng, human rights activist Andrew Duncan, and China Aid President Bob Fu, in sending an August 30, 2012 letter to Apple President Tim Cook, concerning Apple products made in China. Reggie Littlejohn stated, "We are challenging Apple to assure customers that products made in China are not made in facilities that practice coercive family planning or stifle free speech. According to Apple's own 2012 internal investigation, 24 Apple facilities conducted pregnancy tests, and 56 facilities did not have policies and procedures that prohibit discriminatory practices based on pregnancy. Apple says that it has required that these practices must stop. Apple, however, has been auditing its facilities since 2006. Why, then, is it still the case that pregnancy testing is reported as widespread? Either Apple's requirement that these practices must stop is new, or its policies to implement it are ineffectual."

Littlejohn continued, "We want to know what has happened to women at Apple factories when they have been found to be pregnant without a birth permit. Have they been referred for a forced abortion or involuntary sterilization? With the One Child Policy in place, how can Apple assure consumers that its products are made in facilities free of coercive population control?"

Littlejohn added, "We are also asking Apple to take the lead in endorsing our 'Principles of Corporate Responsibility,' in which multinational corporations will refuse to comply with coercive family planning practices at their facilities in China."

To date, the group has received no response from Apple.

Bloomberg has written about this action challenging Apple:

Apple Urged by China Dissident to Act Against One Child Rule 

The text of the letter to Apple's Tim Cook can be found here.

The text of the Principles of Corporate Social Responsibility in China Concerning Coercive Family Planning can be found here.