Final programme for Beyond Blame 2018 Now Online: Last few places available so register now!

Beyond Blame 2018: Challenging HIV Criminalisation is a one-day meeting for activists, advocates, lawyers, scientists, healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and anyone else interested in working to end HIV criminalisation.

The programme includes interactive panels, keynote presentations and parallel workshops focusing on critical issues in the fight against HIV criminalisation around the world.

The final programme can be downloaded here.

With only a 200 maximum capacity, space is now very limited, so if you plan to attend you should register as soon as possible at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/beyond-blame-2018-registration-registration-45640621327

But don’t worry if you can’t be in Amsterdam: we will be live streaming all of the plenary sessions onto the HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE YouTube Channel.  (No need to register to watch online, though.) Don’t forget to subscribe ahead of time so you are alerted when we add new videos.

And you can be part of the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #BeyondBlame2018

The meeting is being convened by the Steering Committee of HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE – comprising AIDS Action Europe, AIDS-Free World, AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), HIV Justice Network, International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW), Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), Sero and Positive Women’s Network – USA (PWN-USA).

Beyond Blame 2018 is supported by a grant from the Robert Carr Fund for Civil Society Networks.

Canada: The treatment of people living with HIV at the hands of Canada Supreme Court perpetuates stigma and fear

Our Highest Court’s Position On HIV Disclosure Is Steeped In Stigma

It perpetuates fear through a set of decisions that force those living with HIV to disclose their status, even if the risk of transmission is non-existent.

Canada’s reputation as a caring and progressive society has been tarnished by how the nation’s highest court has stigmatized people living with HIV. And, as recent court battles show, the supreme court rulings aren’t just charged and stigmatizing, they are also on shaky legal ground.

During an impassioned lecture at the University of Calgary recently, celebrated human rights advocate and HIV activist Justice Edwin Cameron, of South Africa’s highest court, described the treatment of those living with HIV at the hands of the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) as a “uniquely Canadian monstrosity.

“Worldwide, despite antiretroviral treatment, about one million people die of AIDS annually. Many of them, roughly but accurately expressed, are dying of stigma,” said Cameron, who was diagnosed with HIV in 1986. His struggle with the virus, and his advocacy work, formed part of his best-selling memoir, Witness To AIDS.

Stigma, he argued, is “a social brand of judgment, an imprint of contempt and ostracism” that perpetuates silence and shame, and even fear of diagnosis, meaning too many people are not accessing the treatment that can restore their health.

The Supreme Court of Canada, charged Cameron, has served to perpetuate that fear with a set of decisions that imposed a legal duty on those living with HIV to disclose their status to partners even if they are receiving antiretroviral treatment, which reduces the virus to virtually undetectable levels.

“Canada has a dubious distinction. After the United States and Russia and eastern European countries,” said Cameron. “It has prosecuted more cases, it has put more people in prison for simple non-disclosure of HIV infection, than any other country. It lags behind only a handful of jurisdictions in absolute numbers of convictions.”

And all the prosecution, which results from non-disclosure being treated in Canada as a criminal offence, is doing more harm than good, according to the Community, AIDS, Treatment, Information Exchange (CATIE), a Canadian group that promotes good practices for treatment and prevention programs for those living with HIV and hepatitis C.

CATIE points out there is zero evidence to show criminal penalties deter participation in behaviours that present risk of transmission. But prosecution is effective in deterring people from getting tested, while giving the public a false sense of security that criminal prosecutions will somehow protect them, Cameron pointed out. CATIE has recorded at least 184 instances of criminal charges in Canadian cases of non-disclosure.

“How can it be that Canada places so injurious a brand mark of stigma on people living with HIV, more so than many other western countries,” stated Cameron.

At the heart of it lie two supreme court decisions — (R v.) Currier and (R v.) Mabior.

‘Rape with no rapist’

Henry Currier of B.C. was charged with aggravated assault for not disclosing his HIV to two women with whom he had consensual, unprotected sex. Neither of his partners contracted the virus but the Supreme Court ruled his failure to disclose his condition constituted fraud, thus negating consent.

“The result was rape with no rapist, but instead only a sexual partner with a medical condition that was neither communicated, nor transmitted to the other partner,” said Cameron. The decision, “punished those with HIV solely for having HIV and for not disclosing it.”

“In doing so (R. v.) Currier created a new monster legal category of aggravated assault with no assault, except emotional exposure to an infectious disease, and no aggravation, except judicial enforcement of societal condemnation of the accused person’s conduct… in not disclosing his infection.”

“This criminal category, the most expansive, judicially created doctrine targeting HIV on the planet, is a uniquely Canadian monstrosity.

The issue of HIV non-disclosure returned to the Supreme Court in 2012 with R. v. Mabior.

Clato Mabior stood trial on 10 counts of aggravated assault involving nine women and was sentenced in 2008 to 14 years for not disclosing his status. Mabior was receiving antiretroviral treatment at the time and none of his partners contracted HIV.

Cameron said the court failed to take into account established medical evidence of the efficacy of antiretroviral treatment and HIV transmission. Furthermore, other people living with more communicable and deadly diseases are not bound to disclose.

“From a moral point of view, Mr. Mabior, like Mr. Currier, are unappealing. But it is not the court’s task to yield to moralism or to invent overbroad criminal doctrines to enforce it.”

Published in the HuffPost on June 14, 2018

Day With(out) Art 2018: ALTERNATE ENDINGS, ACTIVIST RISINGS (Mark S King, Sero, US, 2018)

A showcase of visual art and poetry made by advocates working against HIV criminalization at HINAC 3.

Mark S King’s film, produced for SERO, for Visual AIDS’ Day With(out) Art.

 

Livestream: HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy: Closing Plenary (HJN, 2018)

HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy Live from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 6 June 2018

Live stream hosted by Mark S King www.myfabulousdisease.com

This live stream was brought to you by HIV Justice Network www.hivjustice.net

Directed and produced by Nicholas Feustel

Running order (click on the time cues to jump there):

1) Pre-show with Mark S King and guests 00:08

2) Rapporteur session 03:48

3) Issues around the AIDS 2020 conference 13:30

4) State reports 16:17

5) Breaking news 40:14

6) Thank you’s 41:37

7) Chant 48:04

8) After show 49:59

Facilitated by Naina Khanna Positive Women’s Network – USA CALIFORNIA With Susan Mull Rapporteur PENNSYLVANIA and many, many others

Side show interviews with Sean Strub SERO Project PENNSYLVANIA and Edwin J Bernard HIV Justice Network UK

Livestream: HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy: Plenary 6 – Leave No One Behind: Intersections of HIV Criminalization with Sex Work, Drug / Syringe Use, and Immigration (HJN, 2018)

HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy Live from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 6 June 2018

Live stream hosted by Mark S King www.myfabulousdisease.com

This live stream was brought to you by HIV Justice Network www.hivjustice.net

Directed and produced by Nicholas Feustel

Running order (click on the time cues to jump there):

1) Unscheduled action by people with disabilities 00:08

2) Pre-show with Mark S King and guests 05:39

3) Plenary 09:35

4) After show 1:28:39

Introduced by Allison Nichol SERO Project WASHINGTON DC Facilitated by Carrie Foote HIV Modernization Movement INDIANA With Tiffany Moore Criminalization survivor TENNESSEE Cris Sardina Desiree Alliance ARKANSAS Marco Castro-Bojorquez US PLHIV Caucus and HIVenas Abiertas CALIFORNIA Chris Abert Indiana Recovery Alliance INDIANA Zaniya James L.A.T.E. Project INDIANA

Side show interviews with Arneta Rogers Positive Women’s Network – USA CALIFORNIA

Livestream: HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy: Plenary 5 – From Mexico to Colombia: The Latin-American Fight Against Criminalization (HJN, 2018)

HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy Live from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 5 June 2018

Live stream hosted by Mark S King www.myfabulousdisease.com

This live stream was brought to you by HIV Justice Network www.hivjustice.net

Directed and produced by Nicholas Feustel

Running order (click on the time cues to jump there):

1) Pre-show with Mark S King and guests 00:08

2) Plenary 13:02

3) After show 1:53:48

Introduced by Naina Khanna Positive Women’s Network – USA CALIFORNIA Facilitated by Gonzalo Aburto SERO Project NEW YORK Dr Patricia Ponce Red Mexicana de Organizaciones contra la Criminalización del VIH MEXICO Ricardo Hernandez Forcada Red Mexicana de Organizaciones contra la Criminalización del VIH MEXICO Leonardo Bastidas Red Mexicana de Organizaciones contra la Criminalización del VIH MEXICO Brisa Gomez Red Mexicana de Organizaciones contra la Criminalización del VIH MEXICO Dr Alfredo Daniel Bernal Red Mexicana de Organizaciones contra la Criminalización del VIH MEXICO Paola Marcela Iregui Parra Universidad del Rosario COLOMBIA German Humberto Rincon Perfetti Lawyer COLUMBIA Interpreter: Liz Essary Cabina Event Interpreting INDIANA

Side show interviews with Diego Grajalez CNET+ Belize, Edwin J Bernard HIV Justice Network UK and Marco Castro-Bojorquez USPLHIV Caucus and HIVenas Abiertas CALIFORNIA

Livestream: HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy: Plenary 4 – Towards Liberation: Advancing a Racially Just HIV Criminalization Reform Movement (HJN, 2018)

[FYI: We didn’t live stream Plenary 3 due to confidentality concerns

HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy Live from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 5 June 2018 ]

Live stream hosted by Mark S King www.myfabulousdisease.com

This live stream was brought to you by HIV Justice Network www.hivjustice.net

Directed and produced by Nicholas Feustel

Running order (click on the time cues to jump there):

1) Pre-show with Mark S King and guests 00:08

2) Plenary 11:06 3)

After show 1:30:01

Introduced by Rebecca Wang Positive Women’s network – USA CALIFORNIA Facilitated by Kenyon Farrow The Body NEW YORK With Waheedah Shabazz-El Positive Women’s Network – USA PENNSYLVANIA Robert Suttle SERO Project NEW YORK Marco Castro-Bojorquez US PLHIV Caucus and HIVenas Abiertas CALIFORNIA Maxx Boykin Black AIDS Institute CALIFORNIA Naina Khanna Positive Women’s Network – USA CALIFORNIA Toni-Michelle Williams Racial Justice Action center GEORGIA

Side show interviews with Stacy Jennings BULI participant SOUTH CAROLINA and Barb Cardell Colorado Mod Squad COLORADO

Livestream: HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy: Plenary 2 – Meaningful Involvement of People with HIV (MIPA), Leadership and Accountability (HJN, 2018)

HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy Live from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 4 June 2018

Live stream hosted by Mark S King www.myfabulousdisease.com

This live stream was brought to you by HIV Justice Network www.hivjustice.net

Directed and produced by Nicholas Feustel

Running order (click on the time cues to jump there):

1) Pre-show with Mark S. King and guests 00:07

2) Plenary 12:08

3) After show 1:33:10

Facilitated by Naina Khanna Positive Women’s Network – USA CALIFORNIA With Andrew Spieldenner US PLHIV Caucus CALIFORNIA Barb Cardell Colorado Mod Squad COLORADO Arianna Lint Arianna’s Center FLORIDA Malcom Reid THRIVE SS GEORGIA

Side show interviews with Maxx Boykin Black AIDS Institute CALIFORNIA Waheedah Shabazz-El Positive Women’s Network – USA PENNSYLVANIA Laurel Sprague Activist MICHIGAN Laela Wilding Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation CALIFORNIA

Livestream: HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy: Plenary 1b – North Carolina and State Legislators (HJN, 2018)

HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy Live from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 4 June 2018 Running order (click on the time cues to jump there):

Live stream hosted by Mark S King www.myfabulousdisease.com

This live stream was brought to you by HIV Justice Network

Directed and produced by Nicholas Feustel

1) Pre-show with Mark S King and guests 00:06

2) Part 1: North Carolina 04:28

3) Intermission show 41:09

4) Part 2: State legislators 43:45

5) After show 1:20:47

Part 1: Modernizing North Carolina’s HIV Criminal Law Facilitated by Christina Adeleke North Carolina AIDS Action Network NORTH CAROLINA With Kara McGee Duke University NORTH CAROLINA Billy Willis WECAHN NORTH CAROLINA Terl Gleason AIDS Healthcare Foundation NORTH CAROLINA Lee Storrow North Carolina AIDS Action Network NORTH CAROLINA Q&A facilitated by Allison Nichol SERO Project WASHINGTON DC

Part 2: Behind the Scenes with State Legislators Facilitated by Sean Strub SERO Project PENNSYLVANIA With State Rep. John McCrostie State Representative IDAHO State Rep. Jon Hoadley State Representative MICHIGAN Jeanette Mott Empower Missouri MISSOURI

Side show interviews with Venita Ray Southern AIDS Coalition TEXAS and Edwin J Bernard HIV Justice Network UK

Livestream: HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy: Plenary 1a – Survivors and California (HJN, 2018)

HIV IS NOT A CRIME III National Training Academy Live from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 4 June 2018

Live stream hosted by Mark S King www.myfabulousdisease.com

This live stream was brought to you by HIV Justice Network

Directed and produced by Nicholas Feustel

Running order (click on the time cues to jump there):

1) Pre-show with Mark S. King and guests 00:28

2) Introduction 08:36

3) Part 1: Survivors’ Panel 09:39

4) Intermission show 1:11:09

5) Part 2: Victory in California 1:13:14

6) After show 2:02:20

Introduction by Allison Nichol SERO Project WASHINGTON DC

Part 1: Criminalization Survivors’ Panel Facilitated by Robert Suttle SERO Projekt NEW YORK With Ariel Sabillon Student FLORIDA Monique Howell HIV criminalization survivor SOUTH CAROLINA Ken Pinkela SERO Project NEW YORK Kerry Thomas SERO Project IDAHO

Part 2: Forging the Path to Victory in California Facilitated by Naina Khanna Positive Women’s Network – USA CALIFORNIA With Craig Pulsipher APLA CALIFORNIA Arneta Rogers Positive Women’s Network – USA CALIFORNIA Scott Scholtes Lambda Legal ILLINOIS

Side show interviews with Edwin J Bernard HIV Justice Network UK and Venita Ray Southern AIDS Coalition TEXAS