China: Free Tian Xi campaign

A consortium of international AIDS and human rights organizations have started a petition campaign in aid of the young Chinese HIV/AIDS activist Tian Xi who was sentenced to one year in prison on 11 February 2011. Tian Xi is an advocate for people infected with HIV through contaminated blood transfusions, who now demand government accountability. 

The group calls for Tian Xi’s immediate release and for a national compensation plan for the thousands of victims of the blood disaster. Tian Xi, aged 24 years, contracted HIV and hepatitis as a child from a tainted blood transfusion. He has been imprisoned since August 2010. On February 11th 2011 Tian Xi was convicted of 'Intentional damage to property' because he allegedly destroyed $600 worth of office equipment in a confrontation with a hospital doctor who refused to assist him in his pursuit of compensation. For years, Tian Xi has protested the lack of compensation and official redress for the millions of Chinese citizens infected with HIV in the 1990s from contaminated blood transfusions. According to the petition organisers, those tainted transfusions were the product of an illegal blood selling industry fuelled by official corruption and indifference. 

Please find below the text of an open letter that will be sent to Chinese government officials, the president of the UN General Assembly and leaders of UN and international organizations in a position to influence the Chinese government. The initiative is being led by SECTION27, a public interest law centre that incorporates the well-known AIDS Law Project. 

If your organization would like to sign on, please contact Kate Paterson at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it no later than Monday, February 28. (The letter will be sent on March 1st.)

Download the open letter

Website SECTION27: www.section27.org.za