Germany: Gay man with HIV kept in pre-trial custody since December accused of infecting two men

Charged

Vorsätzliche HIV-Infektion der Vorwurf - Siegener in U-Haft

January 28, 2014
Source: Derwesten

Did a man from Siegen intentionally infect two other men with HIV? The prosecution is accusing the 46 -year-old of doing so, and he is being charged with grievous bodily harm. In early December, he was arrested in his apartment and has been kept in pre-trial custody ever since. “We are preparing an appeal against the pre-trial detention,” says criminal defense attorney Steffen Reppel. A trial date has not yet been set.

The man was diagnosed in 2003. He is accused of meeting the first complainant – who is now HIV-positive – in August 2009 in a Cologne sauna and having unprotected sex. It is alleged that he assured the man he was healthy. As a result, a relationship developed during which time he continued to conceal his health condition. The complaint of alleged HIV non-disclosure was made one and a half years after the termination of the relationship. “It was an ugly separation. There was controversy and some civil disputes, ” said Reppel.

The second complainant met the accused on an internet site in September or October 2012. Again unprotected intercourse without HIV disclosure is alleged. He, too, might have been infected.

Dr. Guido Schlimbach, spokesman for the AIDS-Hilfe NRW. “I don’t want to trivialize anything here. But the responsibility lies on both sides.” Such a prosecution and the precautionary custody the gives the public the impression that having HIV is something like a “biological weapon.” With such an accusation it is suggested that the state can protect us from everything. Instead, people with HIV are stigmatised.”

German article here: http://www.derwesten.de/staedte/nachrichten-aus-siegen-kreuztal-netphen-hilchenbach-und-freudenberg/hiv-infektion-siegener-in-u-haft-id8885052.html