STIGMATISING HIV-positive men will not help the Egyptian government contain the spread of the disease. Officials are accused of using the HIV status of some gay men to bolster the case for jailing them under anti-gay laws, and violating human rights by forcing detainees to undergo HIV tests and intimate bodily examinations.
鈥淧rosecuting Egyptians for their HIV status will keep them from seeking treatment鈥�
Last week, five men were put on trial, charged with the 鈥渉abitual practice of debauchery鈥� 鈥� a euphemism for homosexual sex. As the trial began, the lead government prosecutor told a lawyer for the defendants that the men, four of whom are HIV-positive, should not be allowed to 鈥渞oam the streets freely鈥� because the government considers them 鈥渁 danger to public health鈥�. By linking HIV status to 鈥渄ebauched activities鈥�, the government risks undermining attempts to contain HIV, by discouraging people from getting tested and seeking treatment, says Joseph Amon of Human Rights Watch.
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Egypt has arrested 12 men under its debauchery laws since October 2007, and four are now serving year-long jail terms. The country鈥檚 Ministry of Health and Population declined to comment.
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