AIDS Activist Wan Yanhai Disappeared after Police Questioning

As the World AIDS Day approaches, well-known Chinese AIDS activist Wan
Yanhai disappeared after he was taken away for questioning by men
identifying themselves as police from Beijing Public Security Bureau
on November 24. Wan was last heard when he called colleagues and said
he was still being questioned around 6pm. He could not be reached ever
since and, by 8 AM this morning, on November 25, there is still no
trace of him.

On November 24, 2006, around 10:30 AM, Wan Yanhai, director of the
Beijing ZHIAIXING Information & Counseling Center (AIZHIXING
Institute), was called to the building management office , where 4 men
who identified themselves as police officers from the Beijing Public
Security Bureau, questioned Wan for hours.

At about 1 PM, some staff members of Beijing AIZHIXING Institute were
called to the management office. In the presence of the police, Wan
Yanhai told them to cancel the "Blood Safety, AIDS and Legal Human
Rights" Workshop, which was scheduled to be held on the 26th of
November. Wan told staff members to arrange the return of
participants of the workshop who had already arrived in Beijing.
After that, Wan continued to be questioned by the same men in the
management office.

At about 6 PM, AIZHIXING staff members received a call from Wan
Yanhai. He asked what arrangements were being made for the return of
the participants to the workshop, some of whom are people who were
infected with the HIV/AIDS through blood transfusion. ,Wan said
arrangement should be made as soon as possible for their return to
home. The staff member asked where Wan Yanhai was, Wan answered he was
still being questioned. Since then, colleagues and Wan's family have
not been able to contact him. His cell phone was turned off. He did
not call again, nor did he return home for the night. Till 9 AM this
morning, Wan Yanhai remains missing.

Wan Yanhai's Resume:

Wan Yanhai, male, Chinese famous AIDS activist, public health expert.
The director of Beijing ZHIAIXING Information & Counseling Center
(AIZHIXING Institute), Affiliated Researcher and advisor of the Center
for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins University,
member of board directors of China STD/HIV/AIDS Prevention and
Treatment Association, standing member of board directors of Beijing
STD/HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Association, member of
Developing Country NGO Delegation of Global Fund Board Meeting. Over
the years, Wan Yanhai keeps paying attention to the AIDS infection via
blood selling and blood transfusion in China. In 2002, he was awarded
1st International Awards for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights by
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Human Rights Watch, Defender's
Awards by International League for Human Rights, Fulbright New Century
Scholar Award and Yale World Fellow Award.

"Blood Safety, AIDS and Legal Human Rights" Workshop:

In November 2005, AIZHIXING Institute successfully held the 1st "Blood
Safety, AIDS and Legal Human Rights" Workshop, which attracted much
social attention to the serious AIDS infection via blood transfusion.
In the 1st Workshop, a "National Blood Tranfusion AIDS Victims Working
Committee" was elected by the patients and relative representatives of
the people who infected HIV or hepatits via blood transfusion and
using blood products.

The 2nd "Blood Safety, AIDS and Legal Human Rights" Workshop is
originally decided to be held on November 26, 2006. The Workshop will
provide the victims who infected HIV or hepatitis via blood
transfusion and using blood products, as well as their community-based
groups, legal workers and NGOs an opportunity to review the problem,
exchange experience, confront challenges and discuss further working
strategy and plan; meanwhile, the Workshop will also provide various
capacity building to promote the overall development of the community.
And the meeting of the "National Blood Tranfusion AIDS Victims
Working Committee" will summarize the previous work of the committee
and make plan of the next step.