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AMSTERDAM (EFE) .- About twenty prestigious scientists and researchers on AIDS today denounced the existence of laws in at least 68 countries in the United States. in South Africa, which "systematically" criminalize HIV-positive people for "non-disclosure, exposure or transmission" of the virus.
At the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam, Edwin Bernard, the HIV policy advisor, emphasized the "misunderstanding" of AIDS in some countries, which led to the "persecution" of simply spitting, "he said at a press conference
. statement to countries that criminalize AIDS patients and carriers of the virus, experts insist that there is no possibility of HIV transmission through contact with the saliva of a person carrier of the virus, "including by kisses, bites or sputum."
They also added that the risk of transmission during a single act of unprotected bad is "very low" and that it There is no possibility of HIV transmission during badl or bad bad when the HIV-positive partner has an "undetectable viral load".
The co-authors of the "Declaration of Expert Consensus on the Science of HIV in the Context of Criminal Law" include: Nobel Laureate Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, researcher Pedro Cahn of the United States. University of Buenos Aires and Salim Abdulkarim of Columbia University
This paper encourages governments and the legal and judicial systems to pay attention to other scientists like José Arribaz of the University Hospital La Paz (Spain), Carlos F. Cáceres of Cayetano Heredia University (Peru) or Carlos Brites of the Federal University of Bahia (Brazil) support important scientific advances. 19659002] According to the information contained in the statement, at least 68 countries criminalize the disclosure, exposure and transmission of HIV, but in addition 33 other states have applied criminal provisions in similar cases, even if they do not criminalize AIDS.
People living with the virus continue to be charged, arrested, prosecuted or convicted for non-disclosure, exposure or possibility of HIV transmission. in cases where there was no intention to harm the couple, they reported.
They also added that in these countries criminalization occurs in cases where HIV transmission "did not occur, was extremely unlikely or impossible," In summary, the laws on the criminalization of HIV are ineffective, unjustified and discriminatory, "said the co-author of the statement and the president of the badociation.The International AIDS Society (SIS), Linda-Gail Bekker
added that in many cases, "Bad" laws promote the spread of HIV by pushing women who live with the infection and who risk being "hiding and escaping" from treatment services for the disease , so as not to risk being behind bars if they recognize her
American Kerry Thomas, an HIV-positive man who is incarcerated in the state of Idaho (United States of America). United States) since 2014, is serving a 30-year sentence to have been and not to disclose.
"I did everything to protect my badual partner: working with a doctor, having an undetectable viral load and using condoms. But for the law, all that mattered was whether I had disclosed it or not, "lamented Thomas.
After hearing his testimony, Bernard denounced the fact that the United States "is not a safe place for AIDS". the International AIDS Conference that does not organize the 2020 edition in this country, as planned – Imane Rachidi
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