POSSIBLE DETENTION OF AIDS ACTIVIST LI DAN,

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 004925 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP AND DRL NSC FOR ABRAMS/WILDER E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV CH SUBJECT: POSSIBLE DETENTION OF AIDS ACTIVIST LI DAN, CANCELLATION OF GUANGZHOU AIDS CONFERENCE Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Ben Moeling. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) American citizen Meg Davis (protect),of the NGO Asia Catalyst, told Poloff on July 27 that Beijing-based AIDS activist Li Dan has been missing since 9:30 p.m., July 26, and Li's family believes he may have been detained by Chinese security authorities. Davis said Li disappeared on July 26 after attending a meeting with 10 to 12 people. One of the meeting participants had spotted plain-clothed police outside the meeting venue. Li's father and fiancee plan to file a missing persons report with Beijing police. Davis said she will hold a press conference to publicize Li's suspected detention if he does not turn up by Monday, July 30, Beijing time. ¶2. (C) Davis was working with Li Dan to organize a conference on AIDS litigation August 2-3 at the Zhu Jiang Hotel in Guangzhou. According to Davis, the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau (PSB) contacted the hotel and ordered them to cancel the conference. Davis and Li then approached a Guangzhou university about hosting, but school officials pulled out once they learned the topic of the conference. Davis said 50 international and Chinese legal experts, NGO representatives and activists were scheduled to attend the event, which has now been officially cancelled. PICCUTA