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

After the Latvian Supreme Court refused to initiate cassation proceedings, the conviction in Latvia’s first criminal case involving the deliberate infection of a person with HIV came into force.

According to the verdict of the Riga City Court, the defendant was sentenced to 90 hours of community service and ordered to pay €50,000 in compensation for moral damages to the victim, the Supreme Court told the LETA news agency.

The trial was held in closed session.

The prosecutor previously reported that the defendant, having been notified of his HIV infection, confirmed in writing that he was aware of his rights and obligations as an HIV-positive person and undertook to comply with them, in particular not to allow further spread of the infection and to encourage sexual partners to undergo HIV testing.

However, instead of doing so, the defendant did not warn his girlfriend about his infection and repeatedly had sexual intercourse with her without using the necessary contraceptives. As a result of the defendant’s actions, the victim was also infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.

The defendant appealed against the judgment of the court of first instance, but the court of appeal upheld it. A cassation appeal was lodged against the decision of the court of appeal, but the Supreme Court ruled that the grounds for the appeal were a repetition of the arguments put forward in the appeal, which had already been thoroughly examined and rejected.

Впервые в Латвии: вступило в силу наказание за умышленное заражение человека ВИЧ

После того как Верховный суд Латвии отказался возбуждать кассационное производство, вступил в силу обвинительный приговор по первому в Латвии уголовному делу о намеренном заражении человека ВИЧ.

Согласно приговору Рижского городского суда, обвиняемому назначены 90 часов общественных работ, а в пользу потерпевшей присуждена компенсация за моральный ущерб в размере 50 000 евро, сообщили агентству LETA в Верховном суде.

Судебное разбирательство проходило в закрытом режиме.

Прокурор ранее сообщила, что обвиняемый, будучи уведомлен о своем заражении ВИЧ, письменно подтвердил, что ознакомлен со своими правами и обязанностями как ВИЧ-положительного лица, и обязался их соблюдать – в частности, не допускать дальнейшего распространения инфекции и побуждать половых партнеров пройти тестирование на ВИЧ.

Однако вместо этого обвиняемый не предупредил свою подругу о заражении и неоднократно вступал с ней в половые отношения без использования необходимых средств контрацепции. В результате действий обвиняемого потерпевшая также была заражена вирусом иммунодефицита человека.

Обвиняемый обжаловал приговор суда первой инстанции, но судапелляционной инстанции оставил его без изменений. На решение апелляционного суда была подана кассационная жалоба, однако в постановлении Верховного суда указано, что доводы жалобы повторяют аргументы апелляции, которые уже были всесторонне рассмотрены и обоснованно отклонены.

A court of first instance in Latvia has sentenced a person to community service in a criminal case concerning intentional infection of another with HIV.

Riga City Court found the accused guilty and sentenced the person to 90 hours of community service. The accused was found guilty of intentionally infecting his girlfriend with HIV between April 2013 and April 2014.

Riga Pārdaugava prosecution office’s prosecutor asked the court to sentence the accused to a conditional prison sentence.

According to the prosecutor, when he learned he has HIV, the accused confirmed with his signature that he is aware of this. He was also presented with the rights and duties of an HIV-infected person and promised to follow them, i.e. ensure the infection does not spread to others and encourage friends and relatives to undergo an HIV test themselves.

Instead he did not warn his girlfriend that he is HIV-infected. The two of them had sexual intercourse multiple times without using necessary contraceptives. As a result of the man’s actions the woman became infected with HIV.

The court satisfied the victim’s moral damage compensation only partially. The court decided that the accused is to pay the victim a compensation of EUR 50 000.