CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
A nongovernmental organization (NGO) that addressed HIV/AIDS and other health issues, was shut down by local authorities on Thursday, Agence France Presse reported. The organization, which calls itself the Xuelianhua AIDS Project, is based in the western area of Xinjiang.
Organizer and volunteer Chang Kun, a 21-year-old student, said police summoned him to their office Wednesday and later entered the NGO's office and confiscated its promotional materials and computer.
"They said we were illegal and therefore had to ban us," said Chang, according to Agence France Presse.
He alleged the act was retaliation for the group's exposure of local schools that had expelled 19 students who tested positive for hepatitis B virus (HBV). Earlier reports said the students were expelled under city guidelines to control the spread of HBV, an act that was subsequently criticized by Beijing since HBV is spread mainly through blood or sexual contact.
"I think we have offended some government departments because there was a big reaction in the media," Chang said.
A Xinjiang Civil Affairs Bureau official confirmed the NGO was shut down. "Several departments are investigating this group at the moment.... [It has] no licenses, so according to government rules it should be categorized as an illegal operation," said Tu Erdi.
"It is the first AIDS NGO that the government has officially shut down," said Wan Yanhai, a veteran AIDS advocate.
Though China has been recently praised for combating its HIV epidemic, AIDS activists and patients say they are still harassed by local officials frequently.
"In China, the government...has lots of doubts about NGOs and fears those which have an independent and critical stance," said Wan, the Agence France Presse reported.
China is treating 26,000 of the approximately 650,000 people that China officially says have HIV/AIDS.
(The Advocate)
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
21+ steamy photos of Scotland’s finest gay men in Elska Glasgow
February 01 2024 10:07 PM
More Than 50 of Our Favorite LGBTQ+ Moms
May 12 2024 11:44 AM
Conjoined twins Lori Schappell and trans man George Schappell dead at 62
April 27 2024 6:13 PM
Latest Stories
Four hours, 44,000 Black women, and one Zoom call
July 23 2024 2:17 PM
Record 1.2 million people show out for Cologne’s Pride parade
July 23 2024 10:51 AM
Here's how far-right activist Leonard Leo helped fund Bud Light boycott
July 23 2024 10:27 AM
Elon Musk’s comments about his trans daughter prove why she doesn’t speak to him
July 23 2024 9:16 AM
Nancy Pelosi endorses Kamala Harris for president
July 22 2024 4:07 PM
Charli XCX declares Kamala Harris IS brat & our next President's campaign agrees
July 22 2024 3:08 PM
Pete Buttigieg roasts JD Vance and his gay tech bro billionaire
July 22 2024 1:42 PM