Uzbekistan: Teenager receives suspended sentence for exposing his childhood girlfriend to HIV

The trial of the young man took place in 2019, but it became known about him only now. The young man was charged with a crime under part 4 of Article 113 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan – “Knowingly putting a person in danger of contracting HIV infection”. Young people (he is 17 years old, she is 16) have been familiar since childhood, they started dating as teenagers. The accused fully confessed to his deed and explained that he knows about his diagnosis and since 2009 (from the age of seven) has been registered with the AIDS Center, and has been regularly examined. The couple did not plan family relations, but, as usual, everything happened spontaneously, without the use of contraceptives. According to the young man, he warned his girlfriend about the possible danger. Pregnancy was revealed only in the fifth month. As a result, no HIV was detected in either the mother or the later born child. The couple, of course, registered their marriage, but the spouse received a conditional term for their deed.