The wife of the Chinese human rights advocate, Hu Jia, appealed to the Chinese regime to grant her husband medical parole on Wednesday.

Hu Jia suffers from liver cirrhosis. His wife, Zeng Jinyan says his condition has worsened since he was imprisoned in 2008. In March this year, Hu was hospitalized after a mass was found in his liver, and was later put back in prison.

Despite his condition, the Beijing Municipal Prison authorities have declined five previous applications for Hu’s medical parole. They also refused to provide Hu’s family with a copy of his medical assessment.

Hu is known for being an outspoken advocate for AIDS sufferers in China. On Monday, the International Hu Jia Day of Action was launched to coincide with World AIDS Vaccine Day.

On the Day of Action, Hu’s supporters were asked to contact the prison where he’s held to request that he be given medical parole. Calls were also made to various Chinese embassies around the world.

On this Facebook page created for the event, one participant who contacted the Beijing Municipal Prison says the official who answered the phone hung up on him, after he tried to ask about Hu’s condition.

Hu was sentenced to three-and-half years in prison in 2008 for alleged “subversion of state power.” His release is not due until June 2011.