'Sex worker rights' seminar canceled
- Source: Global Times
- [04:16 March 05 2010]
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By Andrew Tait
A seminar aiming to bring awareness of media and police abuses of sex worker rights in China, was cancelled by police Tuesday.
The event was to be held Wednesday in Haidian district and was planned by Aizhixing, a gay and AIDS education activist organization.
Billed as a forum on sex workers rights in China, the event had attracted wide-ranging interest from both domestic and international activist and education organizations.
March 3rd is International Sex Worker Rights Day, and many countries organize activities aimed at raising awareness and creating discussion about issues faced by sex workers.
"We believe in the rights of sex workers, and wish to commemorate a day that not only shows great progress in the history of human rights, but also validates the concept of the equality of all beings, showing that neither occupation nor other factors are valid reasons for injustice," read the invitations sent out by Aizhixing.
But less than 24 hours before the seminar was due to begin, the Enji Zhuang Public Security Bureau in Haidian ordered the organization to cancel it's plans, according to a report by the AP.
Calls to the Enji Zhuang Police Office and the Municipal Public Security Department went unanswered.
In response to the forced cancellation, Wan Yanhai, director of Aizhixing and one of China's most prominent AIDS activists, sent a letter Wednesday to the Municipal Public Security Department, requesting information as to why the seminar was cancelled.
"It's not worth a big protest over, but I have my right to complain," said Wan. "Doing things like this is good for the health needs of China, so I will continue to do it."
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