Greenpeace on Monday rebuffed accusations of attempted theft from Huazhong Agricultural University’s Hainan research base after three members were stopped removing genetically modified (GM) rice seeds and leaves from an experimental field.
The campaigners were made to return three packets of rice and ejected, a university research base representative told the Global Times. They also reported the environmental campaigners to police, alleging attempted theft on April 11.
The samples had to be collected through this “undercover field investigation” as it was barely possible to obtain samples any other way, explained Wang Jing, Greenpeace food and agricultural senior campaigner. “Greenpeace was investigating the safety management of GM food there after the Hainan experience of illegal plantation of GM corn,” she said.
Greenpeace China replied through a statement published on their official website on Saturday that there was no violation of intellectual property rights and they never spread sample information.
“We condemn such theft, regardless of its purpose,” said Fan Jingqun, deputy director of the university’s biological science media center.
Read the full, original article: Greenpeace denies stealing GM seeds
