HIV Justice Network

The HIV Justice Network (HJN) is the leading community-based NGO building a co-ordinated, effective global response to punitive laws and policies that impact people living with HIV in all our diversities.

HIV Justice Academy

The HIV Justice Academy (academy.hivjustice.net) is a brand new global learning and resource hub designed to support people who want to be part of the movement to end HIV criminalisation. It comprises three sections to address three different needs: on-demand Online Learning; practical Action Toolkits; and an extensive Resource Library.

Expert Consensus: Bringing Science to Justice

In 2018, twenty leading HIV scientists published the ‘Expert Consensus Statement on the Science of HIV in the Context of Criminal Law’ to address the misuse of HIV science in punitive laws and prosecutions against people living with HIV. Building on initial scoping report published in 2020, we undertook further research examining the impact of the statement in cases and advocacy in the five years since its publication.

HIV Justice Live!

This special edition of our webshow for HIV Is Not A Crime Awareness Day on 28th February 2024 featured Florence Riako Anam (GNP+); HIV and human rights consultant, Michaela Clayton; Mikhail Golichenko (HIV Legal Network); and Andy Tapia and Kerry Thomas (SERO Project) who explained why HIV criminalisation impacts us all, and what you can do it about it.

News by the HIV Justice Network

HIV Is Not a Crime Awareness Day:
A Call to Action in a Time of Crisis

28 February 2025

UK Parliamentary Reception Marks HIV Is Not A Crime Awareness Day

28 February 2025

HJN’s Executive Director’s remarks at the UK Parliamentary event commemorating HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day

26 February 2025

2024 in review: Progress amid challenges

16 January 2025

Introducing Positive Destinations:
Information and Advocacy on Travelling
and Relocating with HIV

18 December 2024

HJN’s Mid-Term Review:
Embracing innovation and inclusivity
in our advocacy, training and knowledge-sharing

25 November 2024

New HIV criminalisation data at AIDS 2024

6 September 2024

Meet HJN at AIDS 2024

16 July 2024

HJN’s Executive Director’s remarks at the UNAIDS Board Meeting on the sustainability of the HIV response

27 June 2024

Powerful and important new book, ‘Criminalized Lives’ published this week

21 June 2024

News curated from other sources

Mexico: Legislative progress expected on HIV decriminalisation bill in the State of Mexico

Sergio Macedo - La Jornada

23 February 2025

US: Lawmakers approve bill to reform HIV transmission laws in Maryland

Danielle J. Brown - Maryland Matters

23 February 2025

US: Lawmakers support bill to update HIV transmission charges in North Dakota

Peyton Haug - Inforum

21 February 2025

Mexico: Criminalisation of HIV in Tamaulipas has a negative impact on public health

Karen Salas, Elefante blanco

14 February 2025

US: Lashanda Salinas and Kerry Thomas share their experiences of being incarcerated under HIV criminalisation laws

Positively Aware

13 February 2025

US: Senator introduces bill to decriminalise HIV in Pennsylvania

My Twin Tiers

11 February 2025

Australia: HIV advocates renew their call to the NSW Government to repeal the Mandatory Disease Testing Act

OUT in PERTH

10 February 2025

US: New report from the Williams Institute on the enforcement of Indiana’s HIV-related body fluid laws

The Williams Institute

1 February 2025

Mexico: Initiative to repeal of HIV criminalisation article in Federal Criminal Code sent to Justice Commission

Talla Politica

17 January 2025

US: HIV law reform tops advocates agenda for 2025 legislative session in Maryland

Washington Blade

10 January 2025

The Global HIV Criminalisation Database

The Global HIV Criminalisation Database consolidates three databases in one: regularly updated information and analysis of HIV criminalisation laws; a regularly updated searchable global database of reported HIV criminalisation cases; and a directory of organisations around the world actively working against HIV criminalisation.

Featured resource

Advancing HIV Justice 4

Our latest in the Advancing HIV Justice series, published in July 2022, with the subtitle, 'Understanding Commonalities, Seizing Opportunities' provides a progress report of achievements and challenges in global advocacy against HIV criminalisation.

HIV criminalisation cases

[Update] Canada: 31-year-old man sentenced to 43 months in prison for alleged HIV transmission

26 February 2025

Russia: Migrant arrested for alleged HIV transmission in Kostroma

14 February 2025

Uzbekistan: Defendant in case of alleged HIV exposure placed under house arrest pending investigation

13 February 2025

Uzbekistan: Man sentenced to 5 years for alleged HIV transmission

30 January 2025

Russia: Woman sentenced to 3 years for alleged HIV transmission

29 January 2025

Russia: 27-year-old woman to appear in court for alleged HIV exposure

28 January 2025

Uzbekistan: Court rules against defendant’s plea for leniency and maintains prison sentence

17 January 2025

France: 28-year-old man sentenced to 5 years for alleged HIV transmission

15 January 2025

Uzbekistan: There-year sentence for alleged HIV-exposure upheld by Surkhandarya regional appeal court

13 January 2025

Uzbekistan: Man sentenced to four years of restricted liberty for alleged HIV transmission

10 January 2025

Bluesky

📢 Today is #HIVIsNotACrime Awareness Day! 🛑⚖️ Across the world, people living with HIV continue to be criminalised, discriminated against, and denied their rights. With shrinking resources and growing political opposition, the fight for justice has never been more urgent.

28 February 2025

Thank you @aditicampaigns.bsky.social for your support and for the wonderful photos. You can read more about the event here: https://www.hivjustice.net/news/uk-parliamentary-reception-marks-hiv-is-not-a-crime-awareness-day/ [contains quote post or other embedded content]

28 February 2025

Our ED @edwinjbernard.bsky.social speaking at @ukparliament.parliament.uk event hosted by @appghiv.bsky.social HIV decriminalisation is possible, even in challenging political environments. But it takes: ✅ Community leadership ✅ Parliamentary action ✅ Global coordination ✅ Sustained funding

27 February 2025

To prevent #HIV transmission via blood transfusions, WHO recommends universal screening of blood donation. However, certain groups – including gay men and other men who have sex with men – have been subjected to restrictions on their ability to give blood. https://buff.ly/41eOgOF

25 February 2025

Don't miss this webinar we're co-hosting with the @iasociety.bsky.social Heart of Stigma programme on Wednesday 5th March, 15:00-16:00 CET. We'll premier a new video documentary and advocacy toolkit, too. Interprétation en français Register here: https://iasociety.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jfQz0TqURACDwQZvpFUF2A#/registration

24 February 2025

Get a global overview of #HIV criminalisation and learn how to advocate effectively against it with this online course 💲Free 📅 At your own pace Enrol now https://buff.ly/3QqVwC6

20 February 2025

In Positive Destinations you will find: ✅ Advocacy tools to challenge unjust laws ✅Resources and connections to local organisations ✅ Stories of resilience and hope ✅ Curated news and advocacy stories ✅ Redesigned, mobile-friendly website https://buff.ly/429Yan1

17 February 2025

With the Anniversary of the Oslo Declaration, we celebrate the resilience of advocates who have fought to end and challenge discriminatory and harmful laws. Much remains to be done, but the Oslo Declaration still guides the work to end the criminalisation of #HIV. https://buff.ly/4hmN3vQ

13 February 2025

🚨 HIV Justice is Under Threat – We Need Your Support! 🚨 Today marks 13 years since the founding of the HIV Justice Network, born from the creation of the Oslo Declaration on HIV Criminalisation – a global call to end unjust laws that punish people living with HIV www.hivjustice.net/oslo/ https://www.hivjustice.net/oslo/

13 February 2025

Mwayi’s Story is a story about courage, about communities standing up for their rights about successful advocacy and about HIV justice! Help us share it 🔁 ...and if you need further information for your HIV & #breastfeeding advocacy, get in touch with us https://buff.ly/40EYzLQ

10 February 2025

Our Executive Director was part of this meeting about coordinating efforts to end stigma, discrimination and criminalisation, already an underfunded and overlooked challenge prior to the change in US priorities and funding. [contains quote post or other embedded content]

7 February 2025

We thank Carlos, for sharing their experience of living abroad, being diagnosed with HIV in a foreign land and navigating complex immigration policies that discriminate against people living with #HIV. Watch this and other stories at https://buff.ly/41F8TWn

6 February 2025

In 2018, a university student from Colombia filed a challenge against Article 370 of the Penal Code that criminalised #HIV after discussing the issue in class. In 2019, Article 370 was ruled unconstitutional. How was this possible? https://buff.ly/4gqcBXk

3 February 2025

Our Action Toolkits contain key facts, resources and checklists to help lawyers prepare their defences and activists prepare their advocacy against #HIV criminalisation. Available at the HIV Justice Academy https://buff.ly/4heqJo5

30 January 2025

How widespread is #HIV criminalisation? It is a worldwide phenomenon and it is evolving with new laws being reformed, repealed or enacted. To see the latest cases, and detailed information on each country, visit our Global HIV Criminalisation Database https://buff.ly/4aD3wtg

27 January 2025

We are thrilled to announce that our Executive Director, Edwin Bernard, will be a Plenary Speaker at the AIDSImpact 2025 Conference. This important gathering will address the evolving challenges faced by people living with HIV in a changing world. Join the Conference and end #HIVCriminalisation

24 January 2025

HIV criminalisation is the unjust application of criminal law to people living with HIV based solely on their HIV status. It's a harmful practice that perpetuates stigma and discrimination. Let's build a world where people with HIV can live in dignity and without fear. 👉 https://buff.ly/4hkqEim

23 January 2025

In 2025, there was progress amid challenges. Courts in several countries provided a beacon of hope by rejecting unjust prosecutions relating to #HIV criminalisation. Read more https://buff.ly/40z4aEp

20 January 2025

In 2024, reported #HIVcriminalisation cases rose to 65, compared with 57 in 2023 and 50 in 2022. These cases were documented across 20 countries, highlighting a troubling upward trend. Read more https://buff.ly/40z4aEp

16 January 2025

In case you missed it… We proudly relaunched the Global Database on HIV-specific Travel and Residence Restrictions as Positive Destinations. Our mission is to empower people living with HIV who travel, relocate or migrate through information, advocacy, and solidarity. 👉 https://buff.ly/41F8TWn

13 January 2025

Follow HJN on Bluesky