The Chinese government is accused of horrendous crimes against members of the religion that include false imprisonment and organ harvesting.

Wearing yellow shirts they held a peaceful rally outside Port Stephens Council at Raymond Terrace.

Motorists honked their horns in support as the drove past. 

Zhansheng “Samuel” Liu was among them.

“I was put in a Chinese prison for three years, six months and then a labour camp for my belief in Falun Gong,” he said.

“I was tortured a lot and examined by the Chinese regime for the health of my organs but I escaped China and I’m lucky to be alive.”

In recent years it’s claimed that China has harvested between 11,000 and 16,000 organs annually from living people each year and the Australians are among the recipients.

Gina Shakespear, an organiser of the regional car tour, is a Falun Gong convert. She said while the sections of the international community have condemned organ harvesting, Australia had lagged behind.

“We had a good meeting with [Port Stephens] council,” she said.

“People need to know that member of the Falun Gong aren’t being allowed the freedom of their beliefs.

“Worse, people like Samuel are being treated like a living organ donor registered to be harvested at any time.”

After the rally, member of the Falun Gong distributed materials about their religion and organ harvesting in the Raymond Terrace CBD.