Uzbekistan: A dentist who carried on working after his HIV diagnosis faces up to 5 years in prison

Tashkent police have opened a criminal case against an HIV-positive dentist for spreading the infection (Article 113 of the Criminal Code), Repost.uz reports with reference to the Yoshlar TV channel.

In December 2021, the 29-year-old dentist came under the control of the Tashkent AIDS Center. The TV station’s story states that he was warned of criminal liability for infecting other people. The Uzbek himself said he was infected by a girl he met on Instagram.

The police later found out that the doctor, knowing his status, continued to work as a dentist. According to the Uzbekistani Criminal Code, contracting a sexually transmitted disease or HIV by someone who knew they had the disease carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.

In late 2021, a sex worker from Bukhara was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for intentionally infecting clients with the immunodeficiency virus.

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