Wan Yan Hai is the Director of NGO Beijing Aizhixing Institute, founded in 1994. This organisation works on HIV/AIDS/sexuality related health education, policy advocacy and human rights protection. The Chinese authorities strictly circumscribe human rights activities in China, with freedom of assembly and freedom of expression severely limited by restrictive legislation and the broad interpretation of state security offences. Wan Yai Hai was detained by police in China for disclosing the blood scandal which contributed to the serious HIV/AIDS epidemic in China.

"I was detained twice for advocating for blood victims.

In China, there is a serious HIV/AIDS epidemic caused by blood plasma collection, blood transfusion or using blood products like Factor 8. The Chinese Government covered up the blood scandal all the time and still hasn’t admitted the HIV/AIDS epidemic, caused by using blood or blood products.

In August 24th 2002, I was detained officially by Beijing state security department for publishing a local government report concerning HIV/AIDS information and government work in Henan province where many farmers were infected through the selling of blood plasma. I was detained without informing family members. And I was tortured when I was in the detention custody. I was released after I admitted a crime and mistake 4 weeks later.

On November 24 2007, I was detained informally and taken away for questioning for about 3 days without an official notice and without informing family members. A meeting on the blood safety, law and human rights, which would focus on issues related to HIV/AIDS epidemic caused by blood transfusion and using blood products, was ordered to stop."