Activists have worked for years to eliminate HIV-associated stigma. But within multiple European countries, people are still prosecuted for transmitting HIV. Despite clear guidance from HIV organizations emphasizing the harms associated with criminal prosecutions of these cases, countries continue to make offenders out of people who have transmitted HIV.
POLITICO’s Ashleigh Furlong speaks to James, a man who’s experienced the impact of HIV criminalization first-hand. We also hear from Edwin Bernard, Executive Director of the HIV Justice Network, who’s been mapping HIV criminalization for years and advocating for the end of such prosecutions. And finally, we head to Bethnal Green to speak with Kat Smithson from the National AIDS Trust. She’s worked with people affected by HIV criminalization, as well as the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to try and influence legal and policy developments.
This is the second of several bonus episodes of EU Confidential coming to you over the next month. Your regular EU Confidential episodes will still appear in your feed every Thursday.