45 For, 46 Against: Bill on Preventing HIV-Related Disease Rejected

The parliament today rejected the package of bills proposed by the government regarding amendments to the law on "Prevention of Diseases Caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus" and amendments to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. A total of 45 deputies voted in favor, 46 against, and 10 abstained.

The main concern of the deputies regarding the government's proposal was related to the age threshold specified in the bill, which would grant 14-year-old children in Armenia the right to take an HIV test and learn about their infection status.

“The threshold has been lowered so that 15-16-year-olds can also undergo HIV testing without parental consent,” said Lena Nanushyan, the First Deputy Minister of Health, during the discussion of the bill.

The bill also stipulated the establishment of responsibility for HIV transmission in cases where an individual is aware of their condition but deliberately transmits it to another person.

Independent MP Taguhi Tovmasyan raised a question about the logic behind the ministry's proposal to eliminate the criminal liability applicable in this case. “Does this mean you are encouraging infection with HIV?” she asked. In response, Nanushyan stated that the ministry has not pursued such an objective in removing that clause.

According to her initiative, the acceptance of the bill is aimed at protecting the rights of individuals living with HIV, filling existing legislative gaps, aligning the legislation regulating the area with several international principles and approaches for combating AIDS, ensuring maximum accessibility to HIV prevention and treatment services, and thereby responding more effectively to the challenges in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention.