HIV Justice Network

The HIV Justice Network (HJN) is the leading community-based NGO building a co-ordinated, effective global response to punitive laws and policies that impact people living with HIV in all our diversities.

HIV Justice Academy

The HIV Justice Academy (academy.hivjustice.net) is a brand new global learning and resource hub designed to support people who want to be part of the movement to end HIV criminalisation. It comprises three sections to address three different needs: on-demand Online Learning; practical Action Toolkits; and an extensive Resource Library.

Expert Consensus: Bringing Science to Justice

In 2018, twenty leading HIV scientists published the ‘Expert Consensus Statement on the Science of HIV in the Context of Criminal Law’ to address the misuse of HIV science in punitive laws and prosecutions against people living with HIV. Building on initial scoping report published in 2020, we undertook further research examining the impact of the statement in cases and advocacy in the five years since its publication.

HIV Justice Live!

This special edition of our webshow for HIV Is Not A Crime Awareness Day on 28th February 2024 featured Florence Riako Anam (GNP+); HIV and human rights consultant, Michaela Clayton; Mikhail Golichenko (HIV Legal Network); and Andy Tapia and Kerry Thomas (SERO Project) who explained why HIV criminalisation impacts us all, and what you can do it about it.

News by the HIV Justice Network

HJN’s Executive Director remarks to the
56th UNAIDS Board (PCB)

26 June 2025

Humanising the Law: Harnessing Science and
Community Voices to End HIV Criminalisation

28 May 2025

Zimbabwe’s victory:
A beacon of hope for HIV justice amid global challenges

28 March 2025

New case study and documentary examines how Zimbabwe repealed its HIV criminalisation law

5 March 2025

HIV Is Not a Crime Awareness Day:
A Call to Action in a Time of Crisis

28 February 2025

UK Parliamentary Reception Marks HIV Is Not A Crime Awareness Day

28 February 2025

HJN’s Executive Director’s remarks at the UK Parliamentary event commemorating HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day

26 February 2025

2024 in review: Progress amid challenges

16 January 2025

Introducing Positive Destinations:
Information and Advocacy on Travelling
and Relocating with HIV

18 December 2024

HJN’s Mid-Term Review:
Embracing innovation and inclusivity
in our advocacy, training and knowledge-sharing

25 November 2024

News curated from other sources

Criminalization and funding cuts threaten global progress against HIV/AIDS

The Guardian

10 July 2025

Benin: MPs attend workshop to gain up-to-date knowledge to support review of HIV Law

BANOUTO

3 July 2025

New Zealand: Survey launches to find out how HIV criminalisation laws impact lives

scoop

3 July 2025

Mexico: Federal Health Ministry issues favorable opinion on HIV decriminalisation initiative

Cámara de Diputados

28 June 2025

Canada: Decades of advocacy ignored as Canada rejects HIV criminalisation law reform

Arvin Joaquin - Xtra

3 June 2025

Mexico: HIV criminalisation in Tamaulipas fuels fear and discrimination

gaceta

2 June 2025

US: PA House Committee considers bill to end HIV criminalization

Philadelphia Gay News

2 June 2025

[Update] US: Felony charges for intentional STD transmission one step closer in Louisiana

WWNO

29 May 2025

Mexico: Lawmaker introduces initiative to repeal HIV criminalisation from criminal code

Mi Punto de vista

22 May 2025

Mexico: LGBTI groups ask for the repeal of HIV criminalisation law

Intolerancia Tlaxcala

22 May 2025

The Global HIV Criminalisation Database

The Global HIV Criminalisation Database consolidates three databases in one: regularly updated information and analysis of HIV criminalisation laws; a regularly updated searchable global database of reported HIV criminalisation cases; and a directory of organisations around the world actively working against HIV criminalisation.

Featured resource

Advancing HIV Justice 4

Our latest in the Advancing HIV Justice series, published in July 2022, with the subtitle, 'Understanding Commonalities, Seizing Opportunities' provides a progress report of achievements and challenges in global advocacy against HIV criminalisation.

HIV criminalisation cases

Canada: Man sentenced to 9 months in jail for spitting on paramedic

1 July 2025

Russia : Man sentenced to 1.5 years’ imprisonment for alleged HIV transmission

23 June 2025

Russia: Appeal court upholds original 1.5 years sentence in HIV transmission case

21 June 2025

Russia: Woman sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for alleged HIV transmission and exposure

21 June 2025

Russia: 42-year-old man sentenced to one year in jail for alleged HIV non-disclosure

18 June 2025

[Update] Latvia: Appeal against first HIV transmission case dismissed by Supreme Court

12 June 2025

South Korea: 43-year-old man sentenced to 18 months for HIV non-disclosure and substance use

29 May 2025

Uzbekistan: Man sentenced to 3-years imprisonment for HIV-exposure loses appeal

29 May 2025

Uzbekistan: Woman sentenced to 3 years restriction of liberty for alleged HIV non-disclosure

27 May 2025

Uzbekistan: Man sentenced to 5 Years imprisonment for alleged HIV exposure

26 May 2025

Bluesky

Amongst the many publications in the Resource Library are academic articles and medical expert statements on HIV transmission, treatment, and medical advancements. Debunk myths and promote accurate information. Explore here: https://academy.hivjustice.net/resource-library

10 July 2025

🔍 How does #HIVcriminalisation intersect with other forms of oppression? HIV criminal laws disproportionately target people from marginalised communities, including sex workers, migrants, people who use drugs, people of colour, and LGBTQ+ individuals. academy.hivjustice.net #HIVJustice

7 July 2025

Robert, a survivor of #HIV criminalisation in the US, shares a shocking and unsettling experience. What was planned as an ordinary vacation in Mexico, turned out to become a “bizarre” sequence of events. Watch this and other first-person stories at www.positivedestinations.info

3 July 2025

In #HIV Justice Live, episode 5, Bringing Science to Justice, we discuss the impact of the ‘Expert Consensus Statement on the Science of HIV in the Context of Criminal Law‘. Judge Zione Ntaba explains how scientific evidence can improve the work of the judicial system. https://youtu.be/yuzuXgA29CU?si=we8X_W3GXHlLLkws

30 June 2025

On this #SupportDontPunish Global Day of Action, we stand with people who use drugs and call for an end to criminalisation. Punitive drug laws don’t protect – they punish. They fuel stigma, worsen health, and compound existing harms – especially when intersecting with HIV criminalisation.#HIVJustice

26 June 2025

At the 56th UNAIDS Board meeting this week our ED @edwinjbernard.bsky.social called for renewed global leadership on HIV criminalisation, urging Member States to decriminalise to save lives & money & invest in @robertcarrfund.bsky.social Read the full statement: https://www.hivjustice.net/news/hjns-executive-director-remarks-to-the-unaids-board-pcb-2/

26 June 2025

The vast majority of #HIV case reports we receive concern alleged sexual transmission or potential or perceived HIV ‘exposure’ usually based on allegations of HIV non-disclosure Check out our analysis of Global Trends in HIV Criminalisation between 2022-24 https://www.hivjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/THPEF632GlobalTrends.pdf

23 June 2025

Today we celebrate one year since the launch of ‘Criminalized Lives’, Alexander McClelland’s powerful book that shares the stories of 16 people unjustly prosecuted for HIV non-disclosure #HIVisNotaCrime #NotACriminal Take a look https://www.hivjustice.net/news/powerful-and-important-new-book-criminalized-lives-published-this-week/

19 June 2025

Explore Positive Destinations to discover 🌍 updates on entry, stay and residence restrictions in law and policy, 🌍 information on access to HIV services for non-nationals 🌍 advocacy and research resources, 🌍 the latest news 🌍 personal testimonies www.positivedestinations.info

16 June 2025

The criminalisation of #BloodDonations by people with HIV is a disproportionate measure – even if the aim of protecting public health through the prevention of transfusion-transmitted infection is legitimate. Why are these laws unjustified? ➡ https://www.hivjustice.net/publication/badblood/

12 June 2025

HIV criminalisation laws are often vague and overly broad, exposing people living with #HIV to unjust arrests, prosecutions and imprisonment. The misuse of these laws harms human rights Learn more about these laws, their effects, and how to push back at academy.hivjustice.net

9 June 2025

The latest edition of #HIVJustice News is out! Discover developments on laws, cases &.advocacy on HIV criminalisation and related issues e.g LGBTI, sex work, drug policy, migration. Plus: our Executive Director on humanising the law in the fight to end HIV criminalisation. https://mailchi.mp/hivjustice.net/hiv-justice-news-6-june-2025

6 June 2025

Planning to travel, study, relocate, or migrate? Check out Positive Destinations, discover up-to-date info and news on HIV-related travel and residence restrictions and access to #HIV services. Take a look: www.positivedestinations.info.

5 June 2025

Just as with HIV criminalisation, the criminalisation of sex work has adverse consequences for the HIV response. Our Global HIV Criminalisation Database has registered at least 60 cases of HIV criminalisation involving sex work. #HIV is not a crime, and sex work shouldn’t be a crime, either!

3 June 2025

Advocates, legal experts, and community leaders from Zimbabwe worked together to repeal the criminalisation of HIV and to stop a new law that threatened to reintroduce #HIV criminalisation. Don’t miss the key lessons for other countries seeking to end HIV criminalisation. https://youtu.be/L8B9s56yR4M?si=w4TN8lZ41D8dHobr

29 May 2025

18 years ago our Executive Director gave his first public speech on HIV criminalisation, never imagining where that journey would take him. Today, he told the story of the HIV justice movement during the final morning plenary of the 16th #AIDSImpact Conference in Casablanca, Morocco.

28 May 2025

Our Executive Director is a Plenary Speaker at this week’s #AIDSImpact 2025: As time goes by – HIV Community and Science Mobilization! This conference brings together the HIV community and scientific experts to address critical challenges and advance progress in HIV prevention, treatment, and care.

26 May 2025

In 2018, twenty leading #HIV scientists published the Expert Consensus Statement on the Science of HIV in the Context of Criminal Law to address the misuse of HIV science in punitive laws and prosecutions against people living with HIV. Learn how it has been used https://www.hivjustice.net/publication/ecs

22 May 2025

Cases of people living with #HIV being denied entry or deported based on their HIV-positive status are not frequently reported. If you had an unwelcome experience traveling with HIV, we welcome your input! Enrich Positive Destinations with your lived experience. www.positivedestinations.info

19 May 2025

On #IDAHOBIT2025, we stand with LGBT+ communities who continue to face criminalisation, stigma, and exclusion from healthcare. HIV criminalisation disproportionately targets those at the margins—because of who they are, who they love, or how they live. 📖 Learn more: www.hivjustice.net

15 May 2025

Interested in learning more about #HIV criminalisation? This is a free-to-access online on-demand course. By the end of the course, you will have understood or refreshed your understanding of HIV criminalisation, its effects and how to advocate against it. academy.hivjustice.net/learning/

12 May 2025

We’re cutting back on justice to save money. Seriously. Not because we want to — but because the funding isn’t there. Databases. Resources. Training. Visibility. All at risk. We hate this. You can help stop it. Read more: https://mailchi.mp/hivjustice.../hiv-justice-news-9-may-2025 Please donate today: www.hivjustice.net/donate

9 May 2025

HIV criminalisation takes place using HIV-specific criminal statutes, or by applying general criminal laws exclusively or disproportionately against people with HIV. Learn more about HIV criminalisation and its effects 👉 https://www.hivjusticeworldwide.org/en/what-is-hiv-criminalisation/

5 May 2025

Are you a lawyer, policymaker, or community advocate working to end #HIV criminalisation? 💪 The Global HIV Criminalisation Database provides information by country or topic to support your work. https://www.hivjustice.net/global-hiv-criminalisation-database/

2 May 2025

Select a country to find 🔸information on entry, stay and residence regulations for people with #HIV, 🔸information on access to HIV care and treatment, 🔸links to local organisations, and 🔸related news and resources. Visit https://www.positivedestinations.info/countries-database/

29 April 2025

Women were twice as likely to be charged with HIV ‘exposure’ compared to men, irrespective of actual transmission risks. This reflects a lack of understanding or disregard of scientific facts about HIV transmission. Read more https://www.hivjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/THPEF632GlobalTrends.pdf

24 April 2025

Our Defence Toolkits contain key resources to be court-ready in cases of 🔸 Sexual exposure/transmission 🔸 Spitting and biting 🔸 Breastfeeding https://academy.hivjustice.net/action-toolkits/

22 April 2025

Advocates, legal experts, and community leaders worked together to repeal Section 79 of Zimbabwe’s Criminal Code, which criminalised HIV. Learn what happened when a new law threatened to reintroduce HIV criminalisation. https://youtu.be/L8B9s56yR4M?si=w4TN8lZ41D8dHobr

17 April 2025

Threats of prosecution for #HIV non-disclosure create fear, abuse, and silence. Support HIV policies that prioritise human rights and public health. 💡 Learn how HIV criminalisation affects human rights on academy.hivjustice.net

14 April 2025

Read news stories about advocacy or information relating to #HIV-related travel or migration curated from reliable sources around the world Explore Positive Destinations 🌏🌎🌍 www.positivedestinations.info/news/

11 April 2025

Follow HJN on Bluesky