Mexico: 20 NGOS set up the Network against HIV criminalisation in Mexico

A network of organisations fights against HIV criminalisation law in Mexico Google translation (see below for original article in Spanish)

Mexico, Oct 29 (EFE) .- Twenty NGOs have set up the Network against HIV Criminalization after several Mexican sates try to tighten existing but little known laws, that sanction the possibility of spreading the virus or other sexually transmitted infections.

“The objective (of the network) is to stop a witch hunt, because it was surprising that in the last two years three different (state) congresses have been discussing” this law, stated Leonardo Bastida, head of Information of the group Letter S.

In Mexico, 30 of the 32 states contain in their criminal codes the “crime of transmission”, which sanctions those who can transmit a non-curable disease to another person.

“The possibility of transmission is sanctioned, even if it is involuntary, for example, by ignorance, said Bastida, who produced a study that determined that since 2000, 39 criminal proceedings were filed for that cause.

There are 15 reported cases in Veracruz, nine in Sonora, five in Tamaulipas and in the State of Mexico, three in Chihuahua, one in Mexico City and one in Nuevo Leon.

Most of these were resolved with administrative fines, although a person in Sonora is serving a 10-year sentence, despite the fact that “you can not clearly see how the virus is acquired.”

Many state penal codes were born in the first half of the twentieth century with this concept, although at the beginning there was talk of venereal diseases and it was usually circumscribed to syphilis.

The codes were modified to include new terms. And even in states like Coahuila (in the north) a specific chapter on HIV was created.

Currently, only Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosí do not criminalize this crime, although in the second state they tried only a year ago, without success, to legislate in this regard.

In the southeastern state of Quintana Roo, the issue is still hot after a congresswoman proposed tightening legislation, with sentences of up to 15 years.

“For her, this was to benefit and to reduce HIV cases, but we told her that this was not the right way,” Édgar Mora, president of the Círculo Social Igualitario association, told Efe.

Together with other NGOs, the State Human Rights Commission and the National Commission of Human Rights (CNDH), they established discussion groups with a group of legislators and it was agreed, although the vote on the plenary is still pending, to overturn the article 113 of the Criminal Code of Quintana Roo.

For the 26 NGOs that have formed the Network of organizations against HIV Criminalization, there is a fear that, if laws are tightened, prevention and detection will decrease.

“That people stop being tested for HIV for fear of getting positive and, subsequently, having to face justice,” Mora said.

In Veracruz, the Chamber of Deputies approved in 2015, unanimously, to modify the local penal code to add the term “contagion” to the term “sexually transmitted infections”, Patricia Ponce, member of the Multisectoral Group on HIV / AIDS and STI from Veracruz, told Efe.

Even before the law existed, there was no definite sanction. With the reform of article 158, six months to five years of imprisonment were stipulated.

“Any person who in a ‘willful’ way transmits HIV is penalized, which is a very ambiguous word,” said the doctor.

Several state-run NGOs unsuccessfully attempted to repeal the article by the state Congress and, with the support of the CNDH, filed an unconstitutional appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), where it is still under discussion.

Ponce is confident that the resolution of the Supreme will be favorable. “It is important that the Supreme Court declares in favour of health, life, and human rights,” he said.

Otherwise, she fears that other states will bet on criminalizing laws. “The deputies, and congressmen are deeply ignorant” in the matter, he explained.

In Mexico, it is estimated that there are about 220,000 people with HIV, although about 100,000 of them are unaware of it.

The hardening of the laws would also impact on the LGBT community. “We have not understood in 30 years what HIV is, and this results in stigma, discrimination and the replication of speeches against homosexuality,” Bastida said.

On a global scale, 68 countries have laws in force, with Russia accounting for the highest number of defendants in the last two years with 23 cases, according to the HIV Justice Network.

Published in La Vanguardia on Oct 29, 2017

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Una red de ONG lucha contra ley que criminaliza el VIH en México

México, 29 oct (EFE).- Una veintena de ONG se han configurado en la Red contra la Criminalización del VIH, después de que varios estados mexicanos intentan endurecer las leyes, ya existentes aunque poco conocidas, que sancionan la posibilidad de contagiar el virus u otras infecciones de transmisión sexual.

“El objetivo (de la red) es que no empiece una cacería de brujas, porque fue sorprendente que en los últimos dos años se haya discutido en tres congresos (estatales) diferentes” esta ley, explicó a Efe Leonardo Bastida, jefe de Información de la entidad Letra S.

En México, 30 de los 32 estados contienen en sus códigos penales el “delito de peligro de contagio”, que sanciona a quien pueda transmitir una enfermedad no curable a otra persona.

Se sanciona “la posibilidad” de transmisión, aunque sea de forma involuntaria, por ejemplo, por desconocimiento, afirmó Bastida, quien elaboró un estudio que determinó que, desde el 2000, se registraron 39 procesos penales por dicha causa.

Se reportan 15 casos en Veracruz, nueve en Sonora, cinco en Tamaulipas y en el Estado de México, tres en Chihuahua, uno en la Ciudad de México y otro en Nuevo León.

La mayoría de estos se resolvieron con multas administrativas, si bien una persona en Sonora cumple una pena de 10 años, pese a que “no se puede comprobar de forma clara cómo se adquiere el virus”.

Muchos códigos penales estatales nacieron en la primera mitad del siglo XX con esta figura, si bien al principio se hablaba de enfermedades venéreas y se circunscribía habitualmente a la sífilis.

Los códigos fueron modificándose para incluir nuevos términos. E incluso en estados como Coahuila (norte) se creó un capítulo específico sobre VIH.

Actualmente, solo Aguascalientes y San Luis Potosí no tipifican este delito, aunque en el segundo estado hace apenas un año se buscó, sin éxito, que se legislara al respecto.

En el suroriental estado de Quintana Roo, el tema sigue candente después de que una diputada propusiera endurecer la legislación vigente, con penas de hasta 15 años.

“Por parte de ella, esto era para beneficio y para disminuir los casos de VIH. Pero le manifestamos que esta no era la manera adecuada”, contó a Efe el presidente de la asociación Círculo Social Igualitario, Édgar Mora.

Junto a otras ONGs, la Comisión Estatal de DD.HH. y la Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos (CNDH) se establecieron mesas de discusión con un grupo de legisladores y se acordó, si bien aún falta la votación del pleno, la derogación del artículo 113 del Código Penal de Quintana Roo.

Para las 26 ONGs que han conformado la Red de organizaciones contra la Criminalización del VIH, existe el miedo de que, si se endurecen las leyes, disminuya la prevención y la detección.

“Que la gente deje de hacerse la prueba del VIH por temor a salir reactiva y, posteriormente, tener que enfrentar la justicia”, relató Mora.

En Veracruz, la Cámara de Diputados aprobó en 2015, por unanimidad, modificar el código penal local para agregar al delito “del contagio” el término “infecciones de transmisión sexual”, dijo a Efe la integrante del Grupo Multisectorial en VIH/Sida e ITS de Veracruz Patricia Ponce.

Si bien antes existía la ley, no había sanción determinada. Con la reforma del artículo 158, se estipularon de seis meses a cinco años de cárcel.

“Queda penalizada cualquier persona que de manera ‘dolosa’ transmite el VIH, que es una palabra muy ambigua”, indicó la doctora.

Varias ONGs estatales intentaron sin éxito que el Congreso estatal derogara el artículo y, con el apoyo de la CNDH, presentaron un recurso de inconstitucionalidad a la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (SCJN), donde todavía se está debatiendo.

Ponce se muestra confiada en que la resolución del Supremo será favorable. “Es importante que la Corte Suprema declare a favor de la salud, de la vida, y de los derechos humanos”, indicó.

De lo contrario, teme que otros estados apuesten por leyes criminalizadoras. “Los diputados, diputadas y congresos son profundamente ignorantes” en la materia, explicó.

En México se estima que hay unas 220.000 personas con VIH en México, si bien unos 100.000 de ellos lo desconocen.

El endurecimiento de las leyes impactaría, además, sobre el colectivo LGBT. “No hemos entendido en 30 años qué es el VIH, y ello deriva en estigma, discriminación y la réplica de discursos contra la homosexualidad”, denunció Bastida.

A escala global, 68 países mantienen leyes vigentes en la materia, siendo Rusia el que mayor número de procesados registra por dicha causa en los últimos dos años con 23 casos, según HIV Justice Network.

Mexico: Lawmakers and civil organisations commit to reform HIV criminalisation law in Quintana Roo

They will reform Penal Code to protect people with HIV

Lawmakers and civil organizations agree to push for changes to article 113

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Considering that article 113 of the Criminal Code of Quintana Roo may violate the human rights of people suffering from diseases such as HIV / AIDS, members of the 40th Legislature committed themselves to progress the analysis of a reform to modify it, or as the case may be, repeal it.

This Friday, Deputy Laura Esther Beristain Navarrete, president of the Commission on Health and Social Welfare and Deputy Alberto Vado Morales, president of the Culture Commission, met with civil organizations dedicated to issues such as HIV prevention and Human Rights of the LGBTQI Community, as well as representatives of the National Human Rights Commission and the Human Rights Commission of the State of Quintana Roo.

After looking at the drafting proposals with respect to the reform of article 113 of the Criminal Code of the State and listening to the arguments of the civil organizations and human rights organizations, it was agreed to push before the Justice Commission of the Congress this article that has been in force since 1991, they said.

It should be noted that Article 113 in its current wording, according to the organizations, criminalizes people living with HIV, implying that people suffering from this disease can be subject to a criminal trial solely because of their health condition, which is a matter of brevity, said the deputies.

During the meeting, topics such as the need to avoid legislative lag and to advance in the opinion of issues that have already been presented by the president of the Health Commission, Laura Beristain and the deputy Alberto Vado, such as reforms to the Civil Code for equal marriages and rights of affiliation of the LGBTTTI community; to the Criminal Code to deal with hate crimes against this sector of the population; the HIV Prevention and Treatment Act and reforms to promote gender identity of transgender people.

For his part, the president of the organization Círculo Social Igualitario, Edgar Mora Ucan, indicated that the repeal of article 113 of the Criminal Code is a watershed moment to legislate with a vision for human rights.

“This is a transcendental fact for the state, is creating the precedent of legislating with a vision for human rights. Only two states in the country do not have this legislation and in Quintana Roo it is being done. The door is being opened to legislate on other human rights issues, “he said.

Published in La Jornada Maya on October 21, 2017

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Reformarán Código Penal para proteger a personas con VIH

Acuerdan legisladores y organizaciones civiles impulsar cambios al artículo 113

La Jornada Maya

Sábado 21 de octubre, 2017Por considerar que el artículo 113 del Código Penal de Quintana Roo puede ser violatorio de los derechos humanos de las personas que padecen enfermedades como VIH Sida, diputados integrantes de la 40 Legislatura se comprometieron a avanzar en el análisis de una reforma para modificarlo y, en su caso, derogarlo.

Este viernes la diputada Laura Esther Beristain Navarrete, presidente de la Comisión de Salud y Asistencia Social y el diputado Alberto Vado Morales, presidente de la Comisión de Cultura, se reunieron con organizaciones civiles dedicadas a temas como la prevención del VIH y promotores de los derechos humanos de la Comunidad LGBTTTI, así como con representantes de la Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos y la Comisión de Derechos Humanos del Estado de Quintana Roo.

Luego de un análisis de las propuestas de redacción con respecto a la reforma del artículo 113 del Código Penal del Estado y con los argumentos de las organizaciones civiles y de los organismos de Derechos Humanos se acordó impulsar ante la Comisión de Justicia del Congreso, la derogación de dicho artículo que se encuentra vigente desde 1991, según señalaron.

Cabe destacar que el Artículo 113 en su redacción actual, de acuerdo con las organizaciones, criminaliza a las personas que viven con VIH, lo que implica que las personas que padecen esta enfermedad pueden estar sujetas a un juicio penal únicamente por su condición de salud, tema que es de atenderse a la brevedad, consideraron los diputados.

Durante el encuentro se abordaron temas como la necesidad de evitar el rezago legislativo y que se avance en el dictamen de temas que ya han sido presentados por la presidente la de la Comisión de Salud, Laura Beristain y el diputado Alberto Vado, tales como reformas al Código Civil para los matrimonios igualitarios y derechos de filiación de la comunidad LGBTTTI; al Código Penal para la atender los crímenes de odio hacia este sector de la población; la Ley de Prevención y Tratamiento del VIH y reformas para impulsar la identidad de género de las personas transgénero.

Por su parte el presidente de la organización Círculo Social Igualitario, Edgar Mora Ucan, indicó que la derogación del artículo 113 del Código Penal es parte-aguas para legislar con visión hacia los derechos humanos.

“Este es un hecho trascendental para el estado, está creando el precedente de legislar con visión hacia los derechos humanos. Solo dos estados en el país no cuentan con esta legislación y en Quintana Roo se está haciendo. Se está abriendo la puerta para que se legisle sobre otros temas en materia de derechos humanos” aseguró.

Belarus: More than 50 cases of criminal prosecution of HIV in Belarus in the first 6 months of 2017

Belarusian legislation discriminates against HIV-positive people (Google translation – Article in russian below)

In the six months of 2017, the number of cases of criminal prosecution of HIV-positive people in Article 53 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus) has significantly increased in all regions of Belarus, especially in the Gomel region.

If in the period from 2012 to 2016, 38 cases were registered, then for 6 months in 2017 – more than 50 people were convicted, many of them are serving sentences in places of deprivation of liberty.

“The Belarusian community of PLWH” notes that at a time when calls for testing and self-testing for HIV are sounding throughout the country, campaigns are underway to create a tolerant attitude, people with identified HIV status are being prosecuted. The topic of HIV infection is actively discussed in the Belarusian press and abroad, thereby creating a negative, negative impression about people living with HIV, creating a new wave of enmity, stigma and discrimination in society.

Article 157 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus was approved in 1999, when HIV infection was considered an incurable disease. Since then, about 20 years have passed, mankind has stepped into a new age, medical approaches have changed, highly effective treatment has appeared, HIV is no longer a deadly disease, and has become chronic, well controlled by antiretroviral treatment. In HIV-positive people taking ARV therapy, with an undetectable viral load, the risk of HIV transmission during sexual intercourse is reduced to almost zero.

Article 157 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus consists of three parts:

Knowingly placing another person at risk of contracting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) – is punishable by a fine, or by arrest, or by imprisonment for up to three years.
Infection of another person by frivolity or with the indirect intent of HIV by a person who knew about his having this disease is punishable by imprisonment for a term of two to seven years.
The action provided for in paragraph 2 of this article, committed against two or more persons, either knowingly underage, or with direct intent, is punishable by imprisonment for a term of five to thirteen years.

In the first and second parts of this article, criminal cases are instituted against people who live in legal marriages or couples where one partner is HIV-positive even if he has informed his partner about HIV-carrier, even if the fact of one from family members is taken completely consciously and voluntarily.

In accordance with the requirements of Art. 157 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, discordant marriages in general are under the ban and under penalty of criminal responsibility, as well as one-time voluntary sexual contacts between people of different HIV status.

In Belarus there are presumably more than 500 discordant couples. They live and work, multiplying the welfare of their country, are good taxpayers. Practically every family has children who risk being left in single-parent families, without parental care, because of the absurdity and inhumanity of law enforcement practice.

Russia also provides for criminal liability for posing a risk of contracting HIV infection under art. 122 of the Criminal Code. Thanks to the active efforts of the Russian community of PLHIV, an important note was added to the article in 2003, on the basis of which the person who put the partner at risk of infection or who infected him with HIV infection is released from criminal liability “if another person put at risk of infection, or was infected with HIV infection, was warned in a timely manner about the presence of the first of this disease and voluntarily agreed to perform actions that created the danger of infection. ” Such an addition in Article 122 of the Criminal Code released HIV-positive Russians with established HIV status from criminal prosecution.

“Belarusian community of PLWH” believes that Article 157 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus contradicts international and national legal norms. Under current legislation, an HIV-positive person can not feel a full-fledged citizen of their country. Such a practice with respect to people living with HIV is discriminatory and requires an early resolution at the legislative level of Belarus!

As of September 1, 2017, there were 18,438 HIV-positive people registered in Belarus.

Published in ECU on Oct 6, 2017

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Белорусское законодательство дискриминирует ВИЧ-позитивных людей

За шесть месяцев 2017 года во всех регионах Беларуси, особенно в Гомельской области, значительно увеличилось количество случаев уголовного преследования ВИЧ-положительных людей по статье 157 Уголовного Кодекса Республики Беларусь (Заражение вирусом иммунодефицита человека).

Если в период с 2012 по 2016 годы было зарегистрировано 38 случаев, то за 6 месяцев 2017 года — более 50-ти человек были осуждены, многие из них отбывают срок наказания в местах лишения свободы.

«Белорусское сообщество ЛЖВ» отмечает, что в то время, когда по всей стране звучат призывы к тестированию и самотестированию на ВИЧ, проходят кампании по формированию толерантного отношения, люди с выявленным ВИЧ-статусом подвергаются уголовному преследованию. Тема о заражении ВИЧ активно муссируется в белорусской прессе и за ее пределами, тем самым формируя отрицательное, негативное впечатление о людях, живущих с ВИЧ, порождая новую волну вражды, стигмы и дискриминации в обществе.

Статья 157 Уголовного Кодекса Республики Беларусь была утверждена в 1999 году, когда ВИЧ-инфекция считалась неизлечимым заболеванием. С тех пор прошло около 20 лет, человечество перешагнуло в новый век, поменялись медицинские подходы, появилось высокоэффективное лечение, ВИЧ больше не является смертельно опасным заболеванием, и перешел в разряд хронических, хорошо контролируется антиретровирусным лечением. У ВИЧ-положительных людей, принимающих АРВ-терапию, при неопределяемой вирусной нагрузке риск передачи ВИЧ при половых контактах снижается практически до нуля.

Статья 157 УК РБ состоит из трех частей:

Заведомое поставление другого лица в опасность заражения вирусом иммунодефицита человека (ВИЧ) – наказывается штрафом, или арестом, или лишением свободы на срок до трех лет.
Заражение другого лица по легкомыслию или с косвенным умыслом ВИЧ лицом, знавшим о наличии у него этого заболевания – наказывается лишением свободы на срок от двух до семи лет.
Действие, предусмотренное частью 2 настоящей статьи, совершенное в отношении двух или более лиц, либо заведомо несовершеннолетнего, либо с прямым умыслом, – наказывается лишением свободы на срок от пяти до тринадцати лет.

По 1 и 2-ой части данной статьи возбуждаются уголовные дела по отношению к людям, которые живут в законных браках или парах, где один из партнеров является ВИЧ-положительным, даже если он проинформировал своего партнера о ВИЧ-носительстве, даже если факт заболевания одного из членов семьи принят совершенно осознанно и добровольно.

В соответствии с требованиями ст. 157 УК РБ дискордантные браки вообще находятся под запретом и под страхом уголовной ответственности, равно как и разовые добровольные половые контакты между разными по ВИЧ-статусу людьми.

В Беларуси предположительно насчитывается более 500 дискордантных пар. Они живут и трудятся, преумножая благосостояние своей страны, являются добропорядочными налогоплательщиками. Практически в каждой семье есть дети, которые рискуют остаться в неполных семьях, без попечения родителей, по причине абсурдности и антигуманности правоприменительной практики.

В России также предусмотрена уголовная ответственность за поставление в опасность заражения ВИЧ-инфекцией по ст. 122 УК РФ. Благодаря активным действиям российского сообщества ЛЖВ, в 2003 году в статью было внесено важное примечание, на основании которого человек, поставивший партнера в опасность заражения, либо заразивший его ВИЧ-инфекцией, освобождается от уголовной ответственности, «если другое лицо, поставленное в опасность заражения, либо зараженное ВИЧ-инфекцией, было своевременно предупреждено о наличии у первого этой болезни и добровольно согласилось совершить действия, создавшие опасность заражения». Такое дополнение в ст.122 УК РФ освободило ВИЧ-положительных россиян с установленным ВИЧ-статусом от уголовного преследования.

«Белорусское сообщество ЛЖВ» считает, что статья 157 УК РБ противоречит международным и национальным правовым нормам. При существующем законодательстве ВИЧ-положительный человек не может чувствовать себя полноправным гражданином своей страны. Подобная практика по отношению к людям, живущим с ВИЧ является дискриминационной, и требует скорейшего разрешения на законодательном уровне Беларуси!

По состоянию на 1 сентября 2017 года в Беларуси зарегистрировано 18 438 ВИЧ-положительных людей.

New Zealand: Does the transmission of HIV still amount to grievous bodily harm? Interview with Jason Myers, AIDS Foundation Director, on the Court of Appeal current deliberation

Is deliberately spreading HIV grievous bodily harm?

A court’s being asked to determine whether spreading HIV still amounts to causing grievous bodily harm.

A man is appealing a grievous bodily harm conviction, after a jury found him guilty of knowingly infecting his partner with HIV.

He’s arguing the disease doesn’t amount to grievous bodily harm, because it can be easily treated.

Aids Foundation executive director Jason Myers said he isn’t surprised to see a case like this before the courts.

“Back in the eighties, early nineties it was a death sentence for many people. What you’ve essentially got in 2017 is a long-term manageable chronic disease.”

Canada: Legalities around disclosing HIV and other STIs in Canada

Have an STI? What you’re legally obligated to disclose

Jenelle Marie Pierce was 16 when she found out she had genital herpes.

“I was made to sleep on the floor at slumber parties because people thought they were going to contract my herpes from me,” the now 35-year-old from Caledonia, Mich., told Global News. “People can be cruel and really it’s just a product of a lack of information.”

Finding out you have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) may seem like the end of your love life, but according to experts, it’s not true. With the right amount of education, communication in disclosing your status and safe sex practices, you can foster a healthy intimate relationship.

In Canada, STI infections are on the rise. Between 1998 and 2015 (the most recent national data available), chlamydia — the most commonly reported STI in Canada — has risen from 39,372 to 116,499 annual cases among all ages and genders, and gonorrhea rates increased from 5,076 to 19,845 in the same time period. Infectious syphilis rates rose dramatically from 501 to 4,551 cases.

But aside from the obvious health implications these infections have, their emotional burden can be almost equally dangerous. A 2014 study published in the journalAIDS Patient Care and STDs found that STI-related stigma was associated with decreased odds of testing for STIs and decreased willingness to notify a partner of an STI among young African American men.

A similar study from 2009 that was published in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health also found that STI-related stigma was a barrier to adolescents’ screening behaviour.

“I’ve been called everything from a slut to a whore. People assume that you are a cheater, you are promiscuous … But it [affects] people from all walks of life, all backgrounds. It’s across the board. People from everywhere contract these infections.”

The key is to be open and ethical about your STI to prevent the spreading of any infections.

Legalities around disclosing

In Canada, it’s a crime not to disclose HIV or another STI before having sex that poses a “significant risk of serious bodily harm.” However, most prosecutions have been strictly related to HIV and hardly any have been related to herpes, syphilis, chlamydia or other STIs.

The legal obligation to disclose your status was established in the 1990s, but for people with HIV, the law became harsher in 2012. That’s when the Supreme Court of Canada decided that people living with HIV are obligated to tell their partner about their status before engaging in sex that poses a “realistic possibility of HIV transmission.”

In practice, what that means is if you’re going to engage in vaginal or anal sex and are HIV positive but don’t tell your partner ahead of time, you could face criminal prosecution if you don’t use a condom or if you use a condom but have a viral load higher than “low.”

According to advocates, this test has been applied inconsistently by the courts without proper regard to the science.

“The science is now established that there is effectively zero risk of transmission to a sexual partner if you have an undetectable viral load,” Richard Elliott, executive director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, told Global News.

There have been conflicting court decisions for people with HIV with an “undetectable” viral load. Some have been prosecuted and other’s haven’t.

At least 184 people have faced charges related to HIV non-disclosure after sex in Canada, one of the highest rates of HIV criminalization in the world, Elliott added. Only a few prosecutions have been related to herpes and syphilis. There haven’t been any prosecutions for non-disclosure of chlamydia, gonorrhea or HPV.

Public health

Besides the legal obligations laid out by the Canadian criminal code, some experts believe it’s important to be transparent about your STI in the name of public health.

“You want to be upfront, you want to tell the person, and you also want to reassure them that you will be performing safe and intimate contact,” Jason Tetro, a Canadian microbiologist, told Global News.

Tetro, who used to work in HIV research and policy, says STIs are becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics, which means they’ll be even more of a headache to treat — so, why not be open from the beginning, before any sexual contact?

“If you happen to be exposed you may be facing a very long and difficult antibiotic treatment before you’re clean, so the fact is, if we all work together to make sure we are not spreading these bugs, it’s going to improve public health overall.”

Having the awkward conversation

There are two approaches to talking to your partner, according to Pierce.

The first is being completely open about your STI status from the get-go. For those who are comfortable laying it out on the table, they can add their status to their dating profiles. The reason behind this approach, explained Pierce, is that you have a lower chance of getting your feelings hurt.

The second approach is more discreet. Just like any relationship that grows organically, some private matters like revealing your STI, are not discussed until trust is gained.

Of course, you need to disclose before there is any sexual contact.

“The idea behind that is that nobody actually puts everything out there on the table when they start dating. That’s kind of the whole dating process, it’s learning about somebody as you go,” Pierce said.

“Nobody says ‘I have horrible debt and my dad is an alcoholic and my brother is in prison’… [it’s a] myriad of things that might be a deal breaker for somebody.”

It really depends on who you are, there is no right or wrong way to do it, she added.

Once you’ve figured out the timing, you then need to figure out the method.

Avoid finding yourself in the heat of the moment. Find a private and quiet place to have the conversation, and approach it in a practical way, Pierce says. Lay out the facts in a neutral and non-emotional manner, because you don’t want to influence their response.

“It’s OK to acknowledge that it might be awkward or weird, but be as open and clear-cut as you can.”

Once you’ve disclosed your status and laid out the options for safe and protected sex, you have to let them decide if they want to take the relationship to the next level. Pierce’s biggest piece of advice? Don’t take the person’s response — positive or negative — personally.

Pierce, who has had a successful career and has had many healthy relationships, says you shouldn’t get discouraged. It’s better to be honest and straightforward, and foster a partnership with someone who will work with you to keep the STI contained to one person.

Published in Global News on October 16, 2017

Mexico: Mexican advocates attend the "HIV is not a crime" forum to fight HIV criminalisation laws

Representatives of civil organizations rejected, during the forum “HIV is not a crime”, the approval of a law initiative in Veracruz and Quintana Roo that aims to punish and criminalize, by up to 25 years in prison, those who are carriers of HIV-AIDS and infect another person.

While in Quintana Roo a bill is being proposed that aims to punishHIV transmission by 25 years of imprisonment, a similar initiative was also approved in Veracruz, which sanctioned 5 years of imprisonment.

In the case of Veracruz, the organizations indicated that a constitutional challenge is already in motion for that initiative to be repealed.

“We filed an appeal for unconstitutionality because now anyone can go and report that you infected the virus, but HIV is not contagious but transmitted and there is no way to verify that one person passed it on to another,” said Patricia Ponce, member of the Multisectoral Group on HIV and AIDS in the State of Veracruz.

A similar initiative was presented in San Luis Potosí, which proposed to sanction with one and up to three years of imprisonment the person who, having a risk of HIV transmission, had sex and up to 10 years if it was transmitted. However, local civil organizations managed to stop its approval, said Alberto Macías Narváez member of “Friends Potosinos in Fight against AIDS.”

“The argument we used to stop this initiative was that it is virtually impossible to prove that someone transmitted you AIDS, and the health system does not even have the equipment to do this type of studies, therefore, we can not prove who it is the person responsible for a transmission, “Macias said.

A member of the civil organization “Círculo Social Igualitario de Quintana Roo” named Edgar Mora, said that in that state the initiative that plan for up to 25 years imprisonment to those who transmit this disease is being discussed and, therefore, organizations are having a dialogue with the deputy Laura Esther Beristain, who promoted this proposal of law.

The idea is to make the lawmaker see that there are no methods to prove that a person was responsible for the infection and, if this initiative is approved, more stigmas will be generated around the disease and people will avoid undergoing diagnostic tests, he said.

“People are now avoiding HIV testing because people prefer not to know whether or not they live with the virus for fear their partner knows they have the disease and, as a result, the person is incarcerated.

“Unfortunately there is already a lot of psychosis because in social networks there have been widely spread messages like: ‘Sidosos, they go to jail’,” Mora shared.

Leonardo Bastida, member of the Civil Association “Letter S, AIDS, Culture and Everyday Life”, explained that in a study conducted in 2016 by the organization to which he belongs, it was identified that from 1990 to 2015, at least 20 people in the country were prosecuted for transmission of sexual diseases, mostly HIV-AIDS.

So far, organizations have pointed out that the best way for MPs to legislate in favour of people with HIV is to ensure the coverage of antiretroviral treatments and to strengthen plans for the control and management of HIV.

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Original article in Spanish

Rechazan leyes que criminalizan VIH

Evlyn Cervantes

Cd. de México (11 octubre 2017).- Representantes de organizaciones civiles rechazaron, durante el foro “VIH no es un crimen”, la aprobación de una iniciativa ley en Veracruz y Quintana Roo que pretende castigar y criminalizar, hasta con 25 años de cárcel, a quienes sean portadores de VIH-sida y contagien a otra persona.

Mientras en Quintana Roo se discute una iniciativa de ley que pretende castigar con 25 años de prisión la transmisión de VIH, en Veracruz también se aprobó una iniciativa similar que sanciona con 5 años de prisión el contagio.

En el caso de Veracruz, las organizaciones señalaron que ya se promueve una acción de inconstitucionalidad para que esa iniciativa sea derogada.

“Metimos un recurso de inconstitucionalidad porque ahora cualquier persona puede ir y denunciar que tú le contagiaste el virus, pero el VIH no se contagia sino se transmite; no hay manera de comprobar que una persona se lo transmitió a otra”, planteó Patricia Ponce, miembro del Grupo Multisectorial en VIH SIDA E ITS del Estado de Veracruz.

Una iniciativa similar se presentó en San Luis Potosí, la cual proponía sancionar con uno y hasta tres años de prisión a la persona que, teniendo un riesgo de contagio de VIH, tuviera relaciones sexuales y hasta con 10 años a quien lo transmitiera. No obstante, organizaciones civiles locales lograron frenar su aprobación, explicó Alberto Macías Narváez integrante de “Amigos Potosinos en Lucha contra el Sida”.

“El argumento que utilizamos para frenar esta iniciativa fue que es prácticamente imposible demostrar que alguien te transmitió el sida, y el sistema de salud no cuenta ni siquiera con los equipos para hacer este tipo de estudios; por lo tanto, no podemos demostrar quién es el responsable de una transmisión”, indicó Macías.

Un integrante de la organización civil “Círculo Social Igualitario de Quintana Roo” llamado Edgar Mora, expuso que en esa entidad se discute la iniciativa que prevé hasta 25 años de cárcel a quien transmita esta enfermedad y, por ello, las organizaciones están gestionando un diálogo con la diputada Laura Esther Beristain, quien promovió esta propuesta de ley.

La idea es hacerle ver a la legisladora que no existen métodos para acreditar que una persona fue responsable del contagio y, que de aprobarse dicha iniciativa, se generarán más estigmas en torno al padecimiento y las personas evitarán someterse a pruebas de diagnóstico, abundó.

“Ahora las personas están evitando hacerse pruebas de diagnóstico de VIH porque las personas prefieren no saber si viven o no con el virus por temor a que su pareja sepa que tiene la enfermedad y, que en consecuencia, la persona sea encarcelada.

“Desafortunadamente ya hay mucha psicosis porque en redes sociales se han difundido ampliamente mensajes como: ‘Sidosos, se van a la cárcel'”, compartió Mora.

Leonardo Bastida, miembro de la Asociación Civil “Letra S, SIDA, Cultura y Vida Cotidiana”, detalló que en un estudio realizado en 2016 por la organización a la que pertenece, se identificó que de 1990 a 2015, al menos 20 personas en todo el País fueron procesadas por transmisión de enfermedades sexuales, en su mayoría VIH-sida.

Hasta el momento, las organizaciones señalaron que la mejor forma de que los diputados legislen a favor de las personas portadoras de VIH es que se garantice la cobertura de tratamientos antirretrovirales y se fortalezcan los planes de control y manejo sanitario de esta enfermedad.

US: "Undetectable = Uninfectious" isn't reflected in HIV criminalisation laws in several U.S. states

Undetectable = Uninfectious. So why are people with HIV still being criminalised for having sex

By now, most people in the HIV community know that having an undetectable viral load means being uninfectious. It’s just science! But this information isn’t reflected in laws in several U.S. states, dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, that criminalize people with HIV for having sex without telling partners their HIV status — even if they use a condom on top of being undetectable.

Thankfully, there’s a movement of HIV-positive people underway that’s slowly getting states to strip back their outdated criminalization laws. It’s called the Sero Project — and at the 2017 AIDSWatch conference in Washington, D.C., we talked with folks from all over the country who are part of it.

“There’s still criminalization that impacts so many people — and it’s driven by fear,” says Paul Yabor, a longtime Philadelphia-based HIV activist (who sadly died earlier this year after this video was made).

“I’ve experienced this,” says Ken Pinkela, Sero’s director of communications and military policy, who was imprisoned and dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Army for having sex without disclosing his status. “Wrongful accusals and allegations that didn’t exist.”

Says Gina Brown, a community organizer for the Southern AIDS Coalition: “The thing that bothers me the most is that [these laws] keep people from knowing their status. So, if I know that I can go to jail because I have sex with someone whether I use a condom or not — you know, I don’t want to know! And I do community work in New Orleans, and I hear that all the time.” She also decries “the fact that no other sexually transmitted virus is criminalized.”

Says Derrick Mapp, HIV health counselor and national trainer at San Francisco’s The Shanti Project: “Me being HIV-positive — I’m not a criminal. It’s something that happens. Spitting, scratching and fighting — these things don’t transmit HIV.” Yet, HIV-positive folks have often ended up doing years in jail for exactly those actions.

Remember Eric Leonardos from the TV show Finding Prince Charming? He’s part of the decriminalization fight as well: “Martin Luther King Jr. says that an unjust law is no law at all,” he declares. “And these are unjust laws and they have no place.”

Watch our video (edited by Michael Faber) and hear them in their own words. Then consider reaching out to Sero and getting involved in the fight. They’ve already had victories in California, Colorado and Iowa. Maybe, with your help, your state could be next!

Tim Murphy has been living with HIV since 2000 and writing about HIV activism, science and treatment since 1994. He writes for and has been a staffer at POZ, and writes for the New York Times, New York Magazine, Out Magazine, The Advocate, Details and many other publications. He is also the author of the NYC AIDS-era novel Christodora.

Published in the Body on Oct 10, 2017

US: California Governor signs landmark bill reforming outdated HIV criminalisation laws

Governor Signs Bill Modernizing California HIV Laws

October 6, 2017

CONTACT: Naina Khanna, naina.khanna.work@gmail.com, 510.681.1169

or Jennie Smith-Camejo, jsmithcamejo@pwn-usa.org, 347.553.5174

Sacramento, Calif.— Governor Jerry Brown today signed into law landmark legislation to reform outdated laws that unfairly criminalized and stigmatized people living with HIV. Senate Bill (SB) 239 was authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Asm. Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) and cosponsored by Equality California, the ACLU of California, APLA Health, Black AIDS Institute, Lambda Legal and Positive Women’s Network – USA. These organizations are part of Californians for HIV Criminalization Reform (CHCR), a broad coalition of people living with HIV, HIV and health service providers, civil rights organizations and public health professionals dedicated to ending the criminalization of people living with HIV in California.

“Today California took a major step toward treating HIV as a public health issue, instead of treating people living with HIV as criminals,” said Senator Wiener. “HIV should be treated like all other serious infectious diseases, and that’s what SB 239 does. We are going to end new HIV infections, and we will do so not by threatening people with state prison time, but rather by getting people to test and providing them access to care. I want to thank Governor Brown for his support in helping to put California at the forefront of a national movement to reform these discriminatory laws.”

“State law will no longer discourage Californians from getting tested for HIV,” said Asm. Gloria. “With the Governor’s signature today, we are helping to reduce the stigma that keeps some from learning their HIV status and getting into treatment to improve their health, extend their lives, and prevent additional infections. I want to thank Governor Brown for signing SB 239. This action keeps California at the forefront in the fight to stop the spread of HIV.”

SB 239 updates California criminal law to approach transmission of HIV in the same way as transmission of other serious communicable diseases. It also brings California statutes up to date with the current understanding of HIV prevention, treatment and transmission. The bill fulfills a key goal of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and is consistent with guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice and with California’s “Getting to Zero” HIV transmission reduction strategy.

“The passage of SB239 marks tremendous progress for Californians living with HIV. Laws that criminalize HIV positive status are not based on science–they are based solely on hysteria and fear–and essentially create an underclass of people diagnosed with a disease, placing us at risk for discrimination and even violence,” said Naina Khanna, executive director of Positive Women’s Network, a national membership body of women living with HIV and a proud co-sponsor of SB 239. “Today, California has proved once again that is a national leader on protecting safety, dignity and human rights for all its residents.”

Beginning in the late 1980s and at the height of the HIV epidemic, lawmakers passed several laws criminalizing otherwise legal behaviors of people living with HIV and added HIV-related penalties to existing crimes. These laws were based on fear and the limited medical understanding of the time. When most of these laws were passed, there were no effective treatments for HIV and discrimination against people living with HIV was rampant. Research now demonstrates that people living with HIV on effective treatment cannot transmit the virus to their partners. HIV-negative individuals can now take medication, known as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV by up to 99 percent. SB 239 ensures that these advances inform our laws and the manner in which we address our public health response to HIV.

“With his signature, Governor Brown has moved California’s archaic HIV laws out of the 1980s and into the 21^st century,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. “SB 239 will do much to reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV – it is not only fair, but it’s good public health. When people are no longer penalized for knowing their status, it encourages them to come forward, get tested and get treatment. That’s good for all Californians.”

In addition to the organizations sponsoring the bill, SB 239 was supported by CHCR members including the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Los Angeles HIV Law and Policy Project, the Transgender Law Center, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), the Free Speech Coalition and the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP).

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Californians for HIV Criminalization Reform (CHCR) is a coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to ending the criminalization of HIV in California. Our mission is to mobilize a broad coalition, including individuals and communities who are disproportionately impacted by HIV, to replace fear-based, stigmatizing laws that criminalize HIV-status with evidence-based, nondiscriminatory laws that protect public health.

HIV JUSTICE Toolkit to support advocacy against HIV criminalisation now online

HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE today announced the launch of the HIV Justice Toolkit, which aims to support advocates to oppose HIV criminalisation at all levels – from educating communities and lawmakers to defending individual cases.

Curated by Sally Cameron, Senior Policy Analyst at the HIV Justice Network (HJN) with input and assistance from HJN’s Global Co-ordinator, Edwin J Bernard and HJN’s Research/Outreach Co-ordinator, Sylvie Beaumont, the Toolkit’s creation was faciliated by the HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE Steering Committee, designed by Thomas Patterson/NAM, and supported by a grant from the Robert Carr civil society Networks Fund.

“We are delighted at the launch of this timely HIV Justice Toolkit. Advocates will find that the use of this Toolkit will increase collaborative and targeted responses for the most vulnerable – in our case women living with HIV, who often suffer the most because of HIV criminalisation. The Toolkit is timely in galvanising action and encouraging activists and communities to proactively mount evidence-based advocacy campaigns to end HIV criminalisation.”

Lynette Mabotte, Southern and East Africa Regional Programmes Lead,

AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA)

The Toolkit is a comprehensive compendium of almost 300 documents and videos, organised under twelve main headings, each of which is broken down into futher subsections.

How HIV criminalisation undermines the HIV response
What the experts says
Organising advocacy
Understanding the law
Initiating policy and law reform
Supporting fair and robust trials
Using science to prove your argument
Working with police
Educating prosecutors
Educating judges
Getting the message right
Other toolkits

The entire Toolkit is also searchable by keyword.

“This easy-to-read summary of critical resources is a tremendous contribution to the fight to end HIV criminalisation. We will reference and utilise this important new addition to the HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE site frequently.”

Sean Strub, Executive Director, Sero Project

Although the Toolkit is currently only available in English, where documents already exist in other languages, these are included.

HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE are now working on a French version of the Toolkit, with other languages (i.e. Spanish and Russian) due in 2018, depending on demand, capacity and funding.

Explore the resources contained within the HIV Justice Toolkit at: http://toolkit.hivjusticeworldwide.org/

If you find the Toolkit useful and/or you have resources you would like featured in the Toolkit please contact us.

New video advocacy tool: How to organise to change the law – the story of the Colorado Mod Squad

The Toolkit also features a new video advocacy tool, ‘The Colorado Story’ which explains in 15 minutes how a group of dedicated advocates in Colorado ‘modernised’ their HIV-related laws to improve the legal environment for people living with HIV.

Featuring Barb Cardell and Kari Hartel of the Colorado Mod Squad and Colorado State Senator, Pat Steadman, the video was written and introduced by HJN’s Edwin J Bernard, with interviews by Mark S King, and directed / produced by Nicholas Feustel for the HIV Justice Network/HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE.

About HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE

HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE is a growing, global movement to shape the discourse on HIV criminalisation as well as share information and resources, network, build capacity, mobilise advocacy, and cultivate a community of transparency and collaboration.

The mission of HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE is to seek to abolish criminal and similar laws, policies and practices that regulate, control and punish people living with HIV based on their HIV-positive status.

We believe that this HIV criminalisation is discriminatory, a violation of human rights, undermines public health, and is detrimental to individual health and well-being.

To learn more, visit http://www.hivjusticeworldwide.org

Azerbaijan: Civil society organisations calling for international action to condemn LGBTI crackdown using HIV as thinly veiled 'excuse'

Alarming stories of physical violence, verbal abuse, forced medical examinations and detentions of LGBTI people have been emerging from Azerbaijan over the past two weeks.

The signatories of this statement are appalled by the situation being described by LGBTI activists and lawyers based in the country:

Members of the LGBTI community have reported being assaulted, forcibly medically examined, fined or forced to reveal contact details from their mobile phones.
Media reports published over the weekend (1 October) also included references to detainees being electrocuted.
The Azerbaijan authorities confirmed that the detentions took place and defended them by claiming that the raids were motivated by public health concerns (implying that it is a coincidence that LGBTI people are being detained).

We welcome the news from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (followed a statement on 2 October) that all detainees have been released. However, this update does not signal the end of the crisis. Intergovernmental bodies and international institutions have an undeniable responsibility to speak out now and support the victims.

The undersigned human rights organisations are calling on international institutions to put their human rights mandates into practice. We urge them to use all possible mechanisms available to strongly condemn the situation in Azerbaijan, such as public statements and bilateral diplomacy.

Given the seriousness of the human rights abuses reported from multiple sources, the reaction from international institutions needs to be stronger, more visible, and more sustained. So far, the public response from international institutions has been slow.

The civil society organisations who have signed this joint statement urge the international community to:

Be more vocal in their condemnation of the treatment of LGBTI people in Azerbaijan
Push for a thorough, independent investigation into the police raids
Keep the victims of these raids at the forefront of their minds and actions

Resources needed to support victims and their communities

The LGBTI community in Azerbaijan (and their allies) now require specific assistance for multiple needs: ranging from immediate financial resources to cover fines and court fees, legal assistance and medical care to more long-term requirements such as relocation, resettlement and psychosocial support. Some victims are reportedly being released into homelessness/precarious housing, in some cases without the support of their family. Local activists and NGOs do not have the capacity or immediate resources to deal with this crisis alone.

This is where the LGBTI movement in Europe can mobilise to support our community members in Azerbaijan. ILGA-Europe have launched an urgent appeal for donations to help organisations to support the victims; these funds will be re-granted to activists working directly with people who have been detained.

Human rights violations are always shocking. While these developments could not have been predicted, we can control how we choose to respond.

Signed:

ILGA-Europe – the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association

Civil Rights Defenders

COC Netherlands

Stonewall

International Partnership for Human Rights

The Equality Network

European AIDS Treatment Group

Human Rights First

TGEU – Transgender Europe

Kaleidoscope Trust

Human Dignity Trust

African Rainbow Family

UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG)

All Out

Sidaction

HIV Justice Network

Apoyo Positivo