US: Justice Department sues Tennessee over aggravated prostitution statute targeting HIV+ individuals

Justice Department Sues Tennessee for Enforcing State Law that Discriminates Against People with HIV

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the State of Tennessee and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The department previously notified Tennessee and the TBI that they violated the ADA by enforcing the state’s aggravated prostitution statute against people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). That letter of findings detailed the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the discrimination.

“The enforcement of state criminal laws that treat people differently based on HIV status alone and that are not based on actual risks of harm, discriminate against people living with HIV,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “People living with HIV should not be subjected to a different system of justice based on outdated science and misguided assumptions. This lawsuit reflects the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring that people living with HIV are not targeted because of their disability.”

The department’s investigation found that the state and TBI subject people living with HIV to harsher criminal penalties solely because of their HIV status, violating Title II of the ADA. Tennessee’s aggravated prostitution statute elevates what would otherwise be misdemeanor conduct to a felony because the individual has HIV, regardless of any actual risk of harm. A person convicted of aggravated prostitution faces three to 15 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000, while a person convicted of a misdemeanor charge based on the same conduct is subject to a penalty of no more than six months in prison and up to a $500 fine.

Aggravated prostitution is also categorized as a “violent sexual offense” mandating registration by those convicted on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry, in most cases for life. The state maintains the registry through the TBI. Individuals placed on the registry due to convictions for aggravated prostitution are restricted in where they may live, work and go in public, and have experienced increased homelessness and unemployment. These individuals also face public disclosure of information about their HIV status, which can lead to harassment and discrimination. For example, the complaint identifies one person who has struggled to find safe housing that complies with the registry’s requirements and has experienced periods of homelessness, has been denied employment because she is on the registry, and is prevented from spending time alone with her nephew because of her conviction.

The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the ADA’s goals of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov.

Mexico: Initiative to repeal HIV Criminalisation law presented in Mexico State

Morena proposes repealing article 252 of the Penal Code because it is considered an attack on people living with HIV.

Translated with Deepl.com – For original article in Spanish, please scroll down.

The Morena deputy, Beatriz García Villegas, presented in the LXI Legislature, the initiative for a draft decree to repeal article 252 of the Penal Code of the State of Mexico, which describes the crime of “Danger of Contagion”, considering that it violates the right of people to a life without discrimination, especially those living with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV).

In the Casa del Pueblo, after presenting various human rights norms, she stressed that all authorities, within the scope of their competences, have the obligation to promote, respect, protect and guarantee human rights in accordance with the principles of universality, interdependence, indivisibility and progressivity. Consequently, the State must prevent, investigate, punish and redress human rights violations, under the terms established by law.

Despite these legal provisions, the Amecameca legislator indicated that a situation has been identified that violates the living conditions of a sector of our population. According to the website of Amigos Contra el SIDA, serophobia (seropositive – HIV carrier and phobia – fear) “is stigma and discrimination, based on irrational fear towards people who have HIV, avoiding any kind of approach or contact with people who are HIV positive or carriers”.

At the same time, she recalled that the Penal Code for the State of Mexico, in its second subtitle, on crimes against persons in danger, in Chapter I, describes the crime of Danger of Contagion, which reads as follows: Article 252.- Whoever, knowing that he or she suffers from a serious disease in an infectious period, puts another person in danger of contagion, by any means of transmission, will be sentenced to six months to two years in prison and a fine of thirty to sixty days. This offence shall only be prosecuted by complaint of the offended party.

It is argued that this crime violates the right of people, especially those living with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) to a life without discrimination. In other words, the criminal offence of danger of contagion punishes the act by virtue of which a person puts another person at risk of contagion, he emphasised.

She reflected that, although at first one might think that this crime is aimed at protecting people’s general health, the reality has been quite different, as it has been the ideal way to unjustifiably criminalise HIV-positive women, girls, adolescents and people with diverse sexual identities. They have been subjected to criminalisation for the simple fact that they have been diagnosed HIV-positive.

“Danger of contagion” is part of a range of crimes that were incorporated into the criminal law in our country in 1931. At that time, there was a great deal of ignorance about various infections and in general there was a strong influence of moral norms on our legal framework. Scientific advances on a global level have clarified the reality of these infections. According to the National Centre for the Prevention and Control of HIV and AIDS, in communities this infection is still associated with death, promiscuity, homosexuality, infidelity, drug use and irresponsibility, he said.

According to the Federal Health Ministry, in 2023, approximately 13,489 new people were registered with this condition, and in the State of Mexico, the figure reached 1,818 people.

Meanwhile, she added, the Council for the Prevention and Elimination of Discrimination of Mexico City (COPRED), in its Pronouncement published on 24 June 2021, mentions that the incorporation of this crime in the Penal Codes is a product of the lack of knowledge of HIV, as well as the moral prejudices that generate certain behaviours”. This led to punishing those who, by leading “an immoral sex life”, were “foci of infection” and endangered with their mere sexuality those who had “acceptable” morality.

Thus, it is possible to conclude that article 252 of the Penal Code of the State of Mexico has institutionalised serophobia, being a violation of human rights for HIV-positive people, by criminalising the sexual life of this sector of the population, he affirmed.

She pointed out that local legislatures have begun to expel this norm from their legal frameworks, the first entity to repeal this crime was Aguascalientes, then Nayarit and recently it was repealed in Mexico City, so it is considered that under the rules that oblige all public servants to respect, guarantee, protect and promote human rights, it is necessary to repeal the aforementioned criminal offence.

“This is a struggle of various social sectors that have been victims of criminalisation, the crime of danger of contagion is a door to violate the human rights of people with HIV, women, girls, adolescents and people with diverse sexual identities have been the object of this criminalisation, let us also consider situations in which HIV infection is caused by rape, infidelity of the partner, when children are born already infected by the mother during pregnancy and a long etcetera,” he said.

And she called for “closing the door to the continued criminalisation of all these vulnerable groups”. After this, the initiative was referred to the Commission for the Procuration and Administration of Justice, for its study and analysis.

Derogar el artículo 252 del Código Penal por considerar que atenta contra las personas que viven con VIH, propone Morena

La diputada de Morena, Beatriz García Villegas presentó en la LXI Legislatura, la Iniciativa proyecto de Decreto por el que se deroga el artículo 252 del Código Penal del Estado de México, donde se describe el delito de “Peligro de Contagio”, por considerar que atenta contra el derecho de las personas, a una vida sin discriminación, en especial, aquellas que viven con el Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida (VIH).

En la Casa del Pueblo, tras exponer diversas normas relativas a los derechos humanos, destacó que todas las autoridades, en el ámbito de sus competencias, tienen la obligación de promover, respetar, proteger y garantizar los derechos humanos de conformidad con los principios de universalidad, interdependencia, indivisibilidad y progresividad. En consecuencia, el Estado deberá prevenir, investigar, sancionar y reparar las violaciones a los derechos humanos, en los términos que establezca la ley.

Pese a estos ordenamientos jurídicos, la legisladora de Amecameca, indicó que se ha logrado identificar una situación que vulnera las condiciones de vida en un sector de nuestra población. Según el portal de Amigos Contra el SIDA, la serofobia (seropositivo- portador VIH y fobia – miedo) “es el estigma y discriminación, basado en el miedo irracional hacia las personas que tienen VIH, evitando cualquier tipo de acercamiento o contacto con las personas que son seropositivas o portadoras”.

A la vez que recordó que, en el Código Penal para el Estado de México, en su subtitulo segundo, sobre delitos en peligro contra las personas, en el capítulo I, se describe el delito de Peligro de Contagio, mismo que a la letra dice: Artículo 252.- A quien sabiendo que padece una enfermedad grave en período infectante, ponga en peligro de contagio a otro, por cualquier medio de transmisión, se le aplicará una pena de seis meses a dos años de prisión y de treinta a sesenta días multa. Este delito sólo se procederá por querella del ofendido.

Se sostiene que este delito atenta contra el derecho de las personas, en especial, aquellas que viven con el Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida (VIH) a una vida sin discriminación. Es decir, el tipo penal de peligro de contagio castiga el acto por virtud del cual una persona pone en peligro de contagiar a otra persona, enfatizó.

Reflexionó que, aunque en un primer momento se puede pensar, que este delito va encaminado a proteger la salud general de las personas, la realidad ha sido otra muy distinta, pues ha sido la vía idónea para criminalizar de manera injustificada a las personas portadoras seropositivas mujeres, niñas, adolescentes, y personas con diversas identidades sexuales. A sido sujeto de criminalización por el derecho de ser diagnosticados seropositivos.

“Peligro de contagio” forma parte de una gama de delitos que fueron incorporados a la normatividad penal en nuestro país en el año de 1931. En aquellas épocas, se desconocía bastante en relación a diversas infecciones y en general había una fuerte influencia de las normas morales en nuestro marco legal. Los avances científicos a nivel global han esclarecido cual es la realidad de estas infecciones. Según el Centro Nacional para la Prevención y Control del VIH y el sida, en las comunidades esta infección se sigue relacionando con la muerte, la promiscuidad, la homosexualidad, la infidelidad, el uso de drogas y la irresponsabilidad, detalló.

Según la Secretaría de Salud Federal, en 2023, se registraron aproximadamente 13 489 nuevas personas con este padecimiento y en el Estado de México, la cifra llegó a 1 818 personas.

Mientras que, añadió, el Consejo para Prevenir y Eliminar la Discriminación de la Ciudad de México (COPRED), en su Pronunciamiento publicado el 24 de junio de 2021, menciona que la incorporación de este delito en los Códigos Penales es producto del desconocimiento del VIH, así como como de los prejuicios morales que generan ciertos comportamientos.” Esto llevó a sancionar a quienes, por llevar “una vida sexual inmoral”, eran “focos de infección” y ponían en peligro con su sola sexualidad a quienes tenían una moralidad “aceptable”.

Así, es posible concluir que el artículo 252 del Código Penal del Estado de México, ha institucionalizado la serofobia, siendo una violación de Derechos Humanos para las personas seropositivas, por criminalizar la vida sexual de este sector poblacional, afirmó.

Puntualizó que las legislaturas locales han comenzado a expulsar esta norma de sus marcos legales, la primera entidad que derogó este delito fue Aguascalientes, posteriormente Nayarit y recientemente se derogó en Ciudad de México, por lo que se considera que en virtud de las normas que obligan a todo servidor público a respetar, garantizar, proteger y promover los Derechos Humanos, se vuelve necesaria la derogación del tipo penal mencionado.

“Esta es una lucha de diversos sectores sociales que han sido víctimas de criminalización, el delito de peligro de contagio es una puerta para vulnerar los derechos humanos de las personas con VIH, mujeres, niñas, adolescentes y personas con identidades sexuales diversas han sido el objeto de esta criminalización, consideremos también situaciones que en el contagio del VIH se da por una violación, por una infidelidad de la pareja, cuando los menores nacen ya con contagio de la madre en periodo de gestación y un largo etcétera”, refirió.

Y convocó “cerremos la puerta a que se siga criminalizando a todos estos grupos vulnerables”. Tras esto se remitió la iniciativa a la Comisión de Procuración y Administración de Justicia, para su estudio y análisis.

US: Tennessee bill drops “violent sex offender” registration requirement for people convicted of aggravated prostitution due to their HIV status

Bill would revise Tennessee’s decades-old law targeting HIV-positive people convicted of sex work

Tennessee would no longer be the only U.S. state to impose a lifetime registration as a “violent sex offender” on anyone convicted of engaging in sex work while living with HIV under a proposal that advanced Tuesday in the legislature.

The controversial statute still on the books is being challenged in federal court by LGBTQ+ and civil rights advocates. They argue that the law stems from the decades-old AIDS scare and discriminates against HIV-positive people. The U.S. Department of Justice has also weighed in on the decades-old law after completing an investigation in December, saying that it violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and called on the state to repeal the measure.

However, Republican Sen. Page Walley on Tuesday stopped short of fully removing the law and instead introduced legislation that would remove those convicted of aggravated prostitution of having to register as a violent sex offender.

“It maintains the charge,” Walley said. “But removes the sex offender registration.”

Prostitution has long been criminalized as a misdemeanor in Tennessee. But in 1991, Tennessee lawmakers enacted an even harsher statute that applied only to sex workers living with HIV. Nearly 20 years later, the state legislature revised the law once more by requiring lifetime sex offender registration for those convicted under the controversial statute.

In the years since, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that laws criminalizing HIV exposure — many of which were enacted amid the height of the AIDS epidemic — as outdated and ineffective. Black and Latino communities have been particularly affected by these laws even as the same standards do not apply to other infectious diseases.

Some states have taken steps to repeal their HIV criminal laws, such as Illinois, which repealed all of its HIV-specific criminal laws in 2021. That same year, New Jersey and Virginia repealed all their felony HIV-specific laws.

In Republican-dominant Tennessee, lawmakers have expressed resistance to outright repealing the aggravated prostitution charge. Instead, the GOP-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday agreed to advance a proposal that would drop the lifetime sex offender registration requirement.

Walley described his bill as “anti-trafficking,” arguing that the current framework hurts those who may be victims of sexual assault and hinders attempts to get their lives back on track.

According to court documents, 83 people are currently registered sex offenders for aggravated prostitution convictions in Tennessee. The majority of those convictions took place in Shelby County, which encompasses Memphis. The plaintiffs challenging the law in federal court, all named Jane Doe, have described years of harassment and hardships in finding housing and employment that complies with Tennessee’s violent sex offender registry.

The legislation would still need to clear the full Senate and House chambers before it could make it to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for consideration. The Republican governor has not weighed in publicly on the bill.

Meanwhile, the federal lawsuit is ongoing. It’s currently scheduled to go to trial in 2026.

Mexico: LGBTTIQ+ community in the State of Mexico seeks to eliminate the crime of danger of contagion, as in Mexico City

LGBT community proposes a bill against the crime of danger of transmission

Translated via Deepl.com. Scroll down for original article in Spanish.

Members of the LGBTTIQ+ community in the State of Mexico are seeking to eliminate the crime of danger of contagion, as happened in Mexico City. With the aim of combating discrimination, the collective “Fuera del Closet” (Out of the Closet) has presented a bill to repeal article 252 of the Penal Code of the State of Mexico, which establishes penalties for people with sexually transmitted diseases who infect others.

This article establishes penalties of two years’ imprisonment and 30 to 70 days’ fines for those who, knowing that they suffer from a serious disease during an infectious period, put another individual at risk of contagion by any means of transmission.

They are hoping for support from the authorities
The proposal has been submitted to the local deputy Anais Burgos, who has expressed her support for the LGBTTIQ+ community in their fight against the criminalisation of people with HIV in the State of Mexico. The “Out of the Closet” collective has stressed that the initiative has been developed after several months of work, during which all aspects related to the issue have been studied, researched, reviewed, argued and drafted, with the aim of presenting a document of the best possible quality.

In social networks, the collective is grateful for and acknowledges the openness of the legislator Anaís, trusting that the initiative will be promoted from her responsibility. They are also willing to dialogue, lobby and socialise the proposal.

During the first quarter of 2023, the State of Mexico registered the highest number of HIV diagnoses at the national level, with 629 new cases.

CDMX has already made changes
On 11 January 2024, Mexico City repealed Article 159 that punished the crime of endangerment. This measure was considered a historic step forward in the fight against criminalisation, stigmatisation and discrimination against people living with the disease.

The “Out of the Closet” collective hopes that, through the repeal of Article 252 in the State of Mexico, it can continue to promote the protection of the rights and equality of people living with HIV, ending discrimination and promoting an inclusive society.

Comunidad LGBT propone iniciativa de ley contra delito por peligro de contagio

Integrantes de la Comunidad LGBTTIQ+ en el Estado de México están buscando eliminar el delito de peligro de contagio, al igual que sucedió en la Ciudad de México. Con el objetivo de combatir la discriminación, el colectivo «Fuera del Closet» ha presentado una propuesta de ley para derogar el artículo 252 del Código Penal mexiquense, que establece penas para las personas con enfermedades de transmisión sexual que infecten a otras.

En este artículo se establecen sanciones de dos años de prisión y de 30 a 70 días de multa para aquellos que, sabiendo que padecen una enfermedad grave en período infectante, pongan en peligro de contagio a otro individuo por cualquier medio de transmisión.

Esperan apoyo de las autoridades
La propuesta ha sido entregada a la Diputada Local Anais Burgos, quien se ha mostrado a favor de apoyar a la Comunidad LGBTTIQ+ en su lucha contra la criminalización de las personas con VIH en el Estado de México. El colectivo «Fuera del Closet» ha destacado que la iniciativa ha sido elaborada después de varios meses de trabajo, durante los cuales se han estudiado, investigado, revisado, argumentado y redactado todos los aspectos relacionados con el tema, con el objetivo de presentar un documento de la mejor calidad posible.

En redes sociales, el colectivo agradece y reconoce la apertura de la legisladora Anaís, confiando en que se impulsará la iniciativa desde su responsabilidad. Asimismo, se muestran dispuestos a dialogar, cabildear y socializar la propuesta.

Durante el primer trimestre de 2023, el Estado de México registró el mayor número de diagnósticos de VIH a nivel nacional, con 629 nuevos casos.

CDMX ya ha hecho cambios
El pasado 11 de enero de 2024, la Ciudad de México derogó el artículo 159 que castigaba el delito de peligro de contagio. Esta medida fue considerada como un avance histórico en la lucha contra la criminalización, estigmatización y discriminación hacia las personas que viven con esta enfermedad.

El colectivo «Fuera del Closet» espera que, a través de la derogación del artículo 252 en el Estado de México, se pueda seguir impulsando la protección de los derechos y la igualdad de las personas con VIH, poniendo fin a la discriminación y promoviendo una sociedad inclusiva.

 

An encouraging start to 2024

This year has begun with some really encouraging news: years of HIV criminalisation advocacy are really paying off.

First, we heard that the Congress of Mexico City completely repealed the crime of “danger of contagion” from the Penal Code. The repeal was approved with an overwhelming majority of 42 votes in favour and only two against. As per the decision, Articles 76 and 130 have been modified to eliminate the criminalisation of people with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. This is a direct result of community activism led by the Mexican Network Against HIV Criminalisation. Congresswoman Ana Francis López noted that, with the adoption of this decision, Congress is fulfilling the demands of communities living with HIV that asked not to be discriminated against or punished.  Mexico City joins the states of Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Nayarit, San Luis Potosí and Tabasco, where their Penal Codes do not provide for a specific crime for exposure to HIV or STIs.

Then we heard that progress is being made towards HIV decriminalisation in Tajikistan. The recent Plenum of the Supreme Court marked the first step in this important process. One of the most significant changes was the recognition of the fact of placing people at risk of HIV was an unproven basis for criminal prosecution. With almost 200 known HIV criminalisation cases, this process now needs to speed up. Marginalised groups bear the brunt of the implementation of the HIV criminalisation law in Tajikistan; starting in 2014, authorities have regularly targeted sex workers and LGBT people, often under the guise of disease prevention. We remain hopeful that further progress will be made in the near future to ensure that people living with HIV are not unjustly criminalised in Tajikistan.

We also heard welcome news that another country with far too many unjust prosecutions, Singapore, is also moving towards law reform. The Singapore Ministry of Health is currently conducting a review of the law concerning HIV disclosure. This review will hopefully result in changes to current draconian practices and policies that has seen the law used to convict people – usually gay men – where condoms had been used and where the person living with HIV had an undetectable viral load.

And finally, with the support of our HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE Francophone Network, led by the HIV Legal Network, civil society groups are urging authorities in Burkina Faso to reconsider the HIV criminalisation provisions contained within its HIV law, Law 030. The call for action reflects a broader effort to improve the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV/AIDS in Burkina Faso and across the continent.

These are but a few examples of the hard work and dedication of so many of us. The global movement to end HIV criminalisation is making significant progress. Let’s keep up the momentum.

Together, we can make HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE a reality.

Tajikistan: First step towards decriminalisation of HIV taken at Supreme Court Plenary

The first step towards the decriminalization of HIV/AIDS in Tajikistan was taken on December 26, 2023 at the last meeting of the Plenum of the Supreme Court.

At this meeting, decisions of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tajikistan were adopted in order to ensure uniform practice and correct application of laws and other regulatory legal acts. An important decision taken at this meeting was the resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tajikistan “On judicial practice in criminal cases of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus.” Thanks to the successful and trusting cooperation between the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tajikistan and public organizations, this resolution was adopted and is a key and first step in the decriminalization of HIV/AIDS in the Republic of Tajikistan. This resolution examined and clarified  issues related to criminal liability for infection with the  human immunodeficiency virus. Now judicial practice will be based on new  norms that take into account international standards and recommendations.

One of the most significant changes was the recognition of the fact of putting people at risk of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus as an unproven basis for criminal prosecution. This is an important step towards eliminating the stigma and discrimination that often accompanies HIV/AIDS. Now people living with HIV can feel more protected and not fear criminal prosecution just because of their disease.

On the other hand, the decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court also clarifies that if infection occurred as a result of a conscious and deliberate action that created a real threat to the health of other people, the perpetrators can be held accountable. This is necessary to protect the public and prevent the spread of infection.

However, it is important to note that the adoption of this resolution is not only about changing the criminal law, but also about creating a favorable environment for cooperation between the Supreme Court and public organizations. Thanks to this cooperation, it was possible to reach a consensus and adopt a resolution that reflects the interests of all stakeholders and takes into account the opinion of experts.

Thus, this resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tajikistan can be considered a key and first step in the decriminalization of HIV/AIDS in our country. This is an important achievement that contributes to justice, the protection of human rights and the establishment of the rule of law.

We hope that this first step will be built upon and lead to further legal reforms aimed at protecting the rights and interests of people living with HIV/AIDS and combating discrimination based on their health status. Together we can create a fairer and more inclusive society for all its citizens.

Mexico: Mexico City Congress repeals the crime of “danger of contagion” from the Penal Code

Decriminalising the crime of danger of contagion in the CDMX; they seek to eliminate the criminalisation of people living with HIV

Translated via Deepl.com. For original article in Spanish, please scroll down.

Congresswoman Ana Francis López stressed that, with the approval of this ruling, they are fulfilling the needs of HIV-positive communities who were asking not to be discriminated against or punished.

The plenary of the Congress of Mexico City decriminalised the crime of danger of contagion. With 42 votes in favour and two against, the Congress approved the repeal of the crime of danger of contagion provided for in Article 159 of the Penal Code for the Federal District, and the modification of Articles 76 and 130, with the aim of eliminating the criminalisation of people with sexually transmitted diseases.

This crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but once it is published in the Official Gazette it will no longer be punishable. Octavio Rivero, President of the Commission for the Administration and Procuration of Justice, commented that if punitive laws continue to stand in the way of prevention and treatment, “we will only drive citizens to avoid detection and care services for fear of being punished, in addition to the social discrimination that this entails”.

This opinion points out that the criminalisation of the danger of contagion is a remnant of how, from a criminal point of view, public health and sexual health used to be regulated. Furthermore, it does not necessarily imply that the victim has been infected, but rather that what is punished is the fact of living with HIV.

Similarly, it points out that, in the light of the principle of subsidiarity, the State must resort in the first instance to other measures that are less burdensome and less harmful to the right to personal liberty in order to protect the legal right to health from possible risks.

It also refers that States use the criminalisation of transmission and exposure to infectious diseases as a response to their failure to implement effective health strategies, without considering that the use of ius puniendi against infected persons does not work to guarantee the protected legal right, since imprisonment does not prevent the transmission of contagious diseases.

In this respect, Temístocles Villanueva explained that the denomination of danger of contagion is a crime that lacks the principle of specificity and is discriminatory, as it constitutes a barrier that prevents people from knowing their status.

He stressed the importance of finding a balance between protecting public health and respecting individual rights and protecting against prejudice and discrimination.

“Living with HIV is not, and can never again be, a death sentence, that with adherence to treatment we can achieve undetectable status and that undetectable is untransmissible. We must abandon the punishment-based vision imposed by the governments of that era and move forward with a vision that guarantees rights,” he argued.

Congresswoman Ana Francis López emphasised that, with the adoption of this decision, they are fulfilling the demands of the HIV-positive communities that asked not to be discriminated against or punished.

El pleno del Congreso de la Ciudad de México, derogó del Código Penal, el delito de “peligro de contagio”

Despenalizan el delito de peligro de contagio en la CDMX; buscan eliminar la criminalización de personas con VIH
Ana Francis López destacó que, con la aprobación de este dictamen, le están cumpliendo a las comunidades con VIH que pedían no ser discriminadas ni castigadas
El pleno del Congreso de la Ciudad de México despenalizó el delito de peligro de contagio, con 42 votos a favor y dos en contra se aprobó derogar el delito de peligro de contagio previsto en el artículo 159 del Código Penal para el Distrito Federal, y modificar los artículos 76 y 130, con el propósito eliminar la criminalización de las personas con enfermedades de transmisión sexual.

Este delito se castiga con hasta 10 años de cárcel, pero una vez publicado en la Gaceta Oficial ya se dejará de castigar. Al fundamentar el dictamen, el presidente de la Comisión de Administración y Procuración de Justicia, Octavio Rivero, comentó que de continuar con leyes punitivas que se interpongan en el camino de la prevención y el tratamiento, “solo conduciremos a la ciudadanía a seguir disuadiendo los servicios de detección y atención por temor a ser castigadas y castigados, además de la carga discriminatoria social que esto conlleva”.

Este dictamen señala que la tipificación del delito de peligro de contagio es un remanente de cómo, desde lo penal, se buscaba regular la salud pública y la salud sexual. Además, no implica necesariamente que la víctima haya sido contagiada, sino que lo que sanciona es el hecho de vivir con VIH.

De igual forma, señala que, a la luz del principio de subsidiariedad, el Estado debe recurrir en primera instancia a otras medidas menos gravosas y lesivas del derecho a la libertad personal para proteger el bien jurídico de la salud frente a eventuales riesgos.

Asimismo, refiere que los Estados usan la penalización de la transmisión y exposición a enfermedades infectocontagiosas como respuesta a su fallo en estrategias sanitarias eficaces, sin considerar que el uso del ius puniendi en contra de las personas infectadas no funciona para garantizar el bien jurídico tutelado, pues el encarcelamiento no previene la transmisión de las enfermedades contagiosas.

Al respecto, el diputado Temístocles Villanueva explicó que la denominación de peligro de contagio es un delito que carece del principio de taxatividad y es discriminatorio, pues constituye una barrera que impide que las personas conozcan su estatu.

Asimismo, destacó la importancia de encontrar un equilibrio entre la protección de la salud pública y el respeto a los derechos individuales y la protección ante los prejuicios y la discriminación.

“Vivir con VIH no es, ni puede volver a ser, una condena de muerte, que con adherencia a un tratamiento podemos acceder al estatus de indetectabilidad y que indetectable es intransmisible. Debemos abandonar la visión punitivista impuesta por los gobiernos de esa época y avanzar con la visión garantista de derechos”, argumentó.

La diputada Ana Francis López destacó que, con la aprobación de este dictamen, le están cumpliendo a las comunidades con VIH que pedían no ser discriminadas ni castigadas.

Burkina Faso: Civil society organisations call for a review of HIV law to reflect science

Healthcare civil society stakeholders call for revision of Law 030 (Burkina 24)

Translated via Deep.com. For original article in French, please scroll down

Civil society organisations in the health sector met in Ouagadougou on 29 December 2023 to call on the Burkina Faso authorities to revise Law 030 on the fight against HIV/AIDS and the protection of people living with HIV/AIDS. The law dates back to 2008 and, according to the statement read out by the civil society actors, is no longer in line with current developments in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Civil society organisations have issued a statement calling for a review of Law 030 on combating HIV/AIDS and protecting the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS. The statement, issued by the Convergence Communautaire du Faso-COCOFA, aims to speed up the process of revising this law to provide better protection for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Otherwise, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of COCOFA, Édouard Diapa, acknowledged that a consultation with government players augurs well for the future as far as the revision of law 030 is concerned.

However, he said, it was their duty to remain vigilant until the law was effectively revised. Why do they want this law revised? “Because the context has changed. From 2008 to now, there have been many developments in relation to the undetectable viral load, which allows people living with HIV to live with their partner without transmitting HIV. This was not the case in 2008, which is why the law needs to be revised”, explained Souleymane Bansé of the Association la vie continue.

The stakeholders therefore called on the government to focus on their advocacy, so that together they can achieve the three times 95 objective, i.e. 95% of people on treatment, 95% of people who know their serostatus and 95% of people tested.

Lutte contre le VIH/SIDA : Des acteurs de la Société civile en santé demandent la révision de la loi 030 (Burkina 24)
Des acteurs de la société civile en Santé se sont réunis le 29 décembre 2023 à Ouagadougou pour demander aux autorités burkinabè la révision de la loi 030 portant lutte contre le VIH/SIDA et protection des personnes vivant avec le VIH-SIDA. Une loi datant de 2008, qui selon la déclaration lue par ces acteurs de la Société Civile en Santé, ne cadre plus avec l’évolution de la lutte contre le VIH/SIDA actuellement.

C’est une action de veille qui a conduit des organisations de la Société civile à faire une déclaration relative pour demander la révision de la loi 030 portant lutte contre le VIH-SIDA et protection des droits des personnes vivant avec le VIH-SIDA. Cette déclaration portée par la Convergence communautaire du Faso-COCOFA vise à accélérer le processus de révision de cette loi pour une meilleure protection de personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA.

Sinon, le Président du Conseil d’Administration du COCOFA, Édouard Diapa, a reconnu qu’une concertation avec des acteurs du gouvernement augure de lendemain meilleur en ce qui concerne la révision de la loi 030.

Cependant, a-t-il dit, il est de leur devoir de maintenir la veille jusqu’à ce que la loi soit effectivement révisée. Pourquoi vouloir la révision de cette loi? « Parce que le contexte a évolué. De 2008 à maintenant, il y a eu beaucoup dévolutions par rapport à la charge virale indétectable qui permet à la personne vivant avec le VIH de vivre avec son partenaire ou sa partenaire sans lui transmettre le VIH. Chose qui n’était pas évidente en 2008, d’où la révision de cette loi est nécessaire », a expliqué Souleymane Bansé de l’Association la vie continue.
Ces acteurs ont donc invité le gouvernement à se pencher sur leur plaidoyer afin qu’ils atteignent ensemble l’objectif des trois fois 95 à savoir, 95% de personnes mises sous traitement, 95% de personnes qui connaissent leur statut sérologique et 95% de personnes dépistées.

Singapore: Ministry of Health review of HIV disclosure law will take latest science into account

HIV disclosure law being reviewed

A law requiring those with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to inform their sexual partners of the risk of HIV transmission or face jail time is being reviewed, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

This is as studies have shown that people living with HIV who have been compliant with treatment and have maintained a stable undetectable viral load have practically no risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partners, MOH said in response to queries from The Straits Times.

The review opens up the possibility that such disclosures may no longer be prescribed – a change given that penalties were enhanced in 2008.

“MOH is conducting a review of the Infectious Diseases Act (IDA) following the White Paper on Singapore’s Response to Covid-19, and will take the latest scientific evidence into account when reviewing the sections on HIV to ensure continued relevance and alignment with our public health policy goals,” said its spokesman.

Infectious diseases and HIV experts that ST spoke to were of the view that the law, which was introduced in 1992, needed updating.

A section of the IDA currently requires those living with HIV to disclose this to their sexual partners before having sex, so that their partners can make an informed decision and take the necessary precautions to protect themselves.

In 2008, the maximum jail term for failing to do so was raised from two years to 10 years.

Culpability was also widened to include persons who do not know if they have HIV or Aids but who have reason to believe they have been exposed to significant risk of infection, such as if they have multiple sex partners.

The objective of the amendment was to promote condom use and regular HIV testing, while sending a strong message that no one has a right to put others at risk through irresponsible behaviour, said then Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan during the 2008 parliamentary debate on the amendment.

HIV attacks the immune system and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (Aids) is the final stage of its infection. Aids is fatal if left untreated.

While there is no cure for HIV, antiretroviral therapy can improve the immune system and suppress the viral load in a patient’s body to an undetectable level.

Singapore has close to 7,000 people living with this disease out of a total of 9,331 who have been diagnosed since 1985, MOH said in an update on the HIV/Aids situation in June. The rest have died, including 107 in 2022.

There were 188 newly diagnosed cases of HIV in the first 10 months of 2023, 97 per cent of which were men. This is 10 per cent higher than the number of cases in the same period in 2022.

From 2019 to December 2023, six people were convicted for failing to disclose their HIV status to their sexual partners.

In November, a transgender sex worker living with HIV was sentenced to three years and three months’ jail after being convicted of having sex with three men without informing them about the condition. Court documents identified him as male.

A medical report in June 2018 stated that his HIV viral load was undetectable, but his viral load was found to be high in November 2018 due to his non-adherence to HIV treatment. This usually involves consuming medication regularly.

“In such a situation, there is certainly a risk of HIV transmission,” said the MOH spokesman of the case. “If he had told his partners of his HIV status, as required by law, the partners may choose not to engage in sexual activities with him or to take precautions.”

But advocacy groups and infectious diseases experts said the current law may be counterproductive to public health goals.

In a Forum letter published in ST in November, Action for Aids Singapore president Roy Chan and the president of sex worker non-governmental organisation Project X, Dr Rayner Tan, argued that sexual health should be a shared responsibility between partners, regardless of their HIV status.

This includes adopting HIV-prevention strategies, like the proper use of condoms and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is a medicine that reduces one’s chances of getting HIV from sex or injection drug use.

Professor Chan and Dr Tan, who both specialise in HIV and sexually transmitted infections, also pointed to existing legislation outside the IDA that penalises deception and grievous harm to argue that a law governing HIV disclosure alone is unnecessary.

Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious disease specialist at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, is also of the view that the law should be repealed.

“It is a very extreme minority who want to deliberately infect other people with HIV, but everyone should know that they can protect themselves from HIV by using condoms or taking PrEP,” he said.

Dr Leong added that he advocates awareness, self-protection, safe sex, using oral quick tests and encouraging people to come forward and get tested.

In a February parliamentary reply, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said the use of prophylaxis is a supplementary HIV-prevention option, as they are not fully effective nor do they protect against other sexually transmitted infections.

He cautioned against “sending the wrong signal that these drugs can substitute the recommended HIV-prevention methods, such as avoiding casual sex and correct use of condoms”.

Senior lecturer Ritu Jain at the Language and Communication Centre at Nanyang Technological University said she concurred with Prof Chan and Dr Tan.

A principal investigator for a National Centre for Infectious Diseases-funded study that interviewed 73 people, including 56 people living with HIV, Dr Jain told ST that the recently concluded study found that the law disincentivises testing and encourages a “don’t know, don’t tell” mindset, contrary to its aim.

Responding to ST’s queries, MOH said the current law accords choice and protection to the partner of someone with HIV, who can decide whether to engage in sexual activity, and, if so, to take precautions to reduce risk.

At the 2008 debate to amend the IDA, Mr Khaw said the Government’s intention behind enhancing the law was not to criminalise HIV-infected patients, but to push them to act more responsibly and not to hide behind the ignorance of their HIV status.

“We will only act if there is a complaint from an aggrieved victim, and only after a thorough investigation to establish the facts,” he added.

Mexico’s first trans congresswomen advocates for the repeal of HIV and STI criminalisation article

María Clemente proposes decriminalising the transmission of sexual diseases

Translated with Deepl.com – For article in Spanish, please scroll down

The Morena deputy’s initiative seeks to repeal article 199 bis on the danger of contagion of sexual diseases.
María Clemente García Moreno, a member of the Morena party, has presented an initiative to decriminalise sanctions related to the transmission of sexual diseases.

The project seeks the repeal of several parts of the Federal Penal Code, specifically article 199 bis which deals with the danger of contagion.

This article, published in the Official Journal of the Federation on 14 February 1940, establishes that those who, knowing that they are sick with syphilis or another venereal disease in its contagious stage, may put the health of another at risk through sexual relations, will face penalties of up to three years in prison and fines of up to three thousand pesos.
This applies even if the contagion does not occur. Legal action can only be taken in cases of spouses with a complaint from the aggrieved spouse.

Discrimination against persons with sexual diseases
García Moreno points out that this provision criminalises people with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), especially those living with HIV, subjecting them to criminal law simply because of the possibility of exposing others to infection. She argues that this law is discriminatory and disproportionately affects these communities.

The MP finally argues that “in each of these acts there is always a minimal possibility that a new infection will be generated, either by a failure of a condom or the efficacy of antiretroviral [sic] drugs”.

Debate between Congress and civil society
The MP argues that the key is to implement preventive and educational strategies to protect the health of all citizens. Her proposal has generated intense discussions, dividing legislators: some believe that criminal sanctions are necessary to safeguard public health and hold accountable those who endanger others.

On the other hand, there are dissenting voices, pointing out that criminalising disease transmission is not the solution and advocating greater awareness and access to health services to prevent the spread of infections.

Meanwhile, human rights organisations and activists are vigilant, calling for fairer legislation that addresses the needs of all, regardless of their health status.

María Clemente propone despenalizar transmisión de enfermedades sexuales

La iniciativa de la diputada de Morena, busca derogar el artículo 199 bis sobre peligro de contagio en enfermedades sexuales.
María Clemente García Moreno, diputada de la bancada Morena, ha presentado una iniciativa para despenalizar las sanciones relacionadas con la transmisión de enfermedades sexuales.

El proyecto busca la derogación de varias partes del Código Penal Federal, específicamente el artículo 199 bis que trata sobre el peligro de contagio.

Este artículo, publicado en el Diario Oficial de la Federación el 14 de febrero de 1940, establece que aquellos que sabiendo que están enfermos de sífilis u otra enfermedad venérea en su etapa contagiosa, puedan poner en riesgo la salud de otro mediante relaciones sexuales, enfrentarán penas de hasta tres años de cárcel y multas de hasta tres mil pesos.
Esto se aplica incluso si el contagio no se produce. Solo se puede proceder legalmente en casos de cónyuges con una denuncia del cónyuge agraviado.

Discriminación a personas con enfermedades sexuales
García Moreno señala que esta disposición penaliza a personas con infecciones de transmisión sexual (ITS), especialmente a quienes viven con el VIH, sometiéndolos al derecho penal simplemente por la posibilidad de exponer a otros a una infección. Ella afirma que esta ley es discriminatoria y afecta desproporcionadamente a estas comunidades.

La diputada finalmente argumenta que “en cada uno de estos actos siempre hay una mínima posibilidad de que se genere una nueva infección, sea por una falla del condón o de la eficacia de los medicamentos antirretrovirales [sic]”.

Debate entre el Congreso y la sociedad civil
La diputada argumenta que la clave está en implementar estrategias preventivas y educativas para proteger la salud de todos los ciudadanos. Su propuesta ha generado discusiones intensas, dividiendo a los legisladores: algunos creen que las sanciones penales son necesarias para salvaguardar la salud pública y responsabilizar a quienes ponen en peligro a otros.

Por otro lado, hay voces que discrepan, señalando que penalizar la transmisión de enfermedades no es la solución y abogando por una mayor conciencia y acceso a servicios de salud para prevenir la propagación de infecciones.

Mientras tanto, organizaciones y activistas de derechos humanos están atentos, exigiendo una legislación más justa que atienda las necesidades de todos, independientemente de su estado de salud.