Justice et VIH : Pourquoi prouver une transmission volontaire est un défi « complexe » selon le CNLS
Establishing the offense of intentional HIV transmission in Senegal relies on rigorous criteria, according to an explanatory note from the National AIDS Control Council (CNLS). The organization emphasizes from the outset that "proving intentional HIV transmission is difficult" and involves a "particularly complex process, encompassing legal, scientific, and forensic aspects." While the 2010 law penalizes the deliberate exposure of others, the courts require the cumulative collection of several decisive pieces of evidence.
First, knowledge of the serological status is essential, because "without this prior knowledge, intent or gross negligence cannot be established." Furthermore, the prosecution must demonstrate risky behavior and concealment, including in particular "the existence of risky sexual relations," "failure to inform the partner," or "active concealment of serological status (lying, false declaration of seronegativity)."
A crucial point in the document concerns the evolution of scientific data. The CNLS strongly reiterates that "a person on effective treatment with an undetectable viral load does not transmit HIV sexually," a principle summarized by the equation "U = U: Undetectable = Untransmissible."
From a legal standpoint, this state of affairs constitutes a major defense argument since "the risk of transmission becomes nil from a scientific point of view" and "the material element of endangerment can disappear".
Finally, the note specifies that the mere fact that two people are HIV-positive is not enough to establish guilt. It is necessary to prove a "biological causal link." Although phylogenetic analysis is the most advanced method for comparing viral sequences, it does not, on its own, prove the chronology of events or direct transmission, making it "one of the most difficult points to establish in court."
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