Katerina, one of the cases of HIV positive women

This case had a huge impact on the lives of the women involved and on Greek society as a whole. Public discussion on the issue surfaced the polarization of Greek society and the deep rooted antitheses on human rights protection and racist perceptions of the public which were inflamed due to the prolonged and cruel economic crisis.

Political reactions

Leading political figures the days before national elections of 6^th May 2012 voiced the view that this is a case where opposite rights need to be weighed and that those who claim that there has been a serious rights violation are over-reacting.   M. Chrysochoidis, the then Minister of Citizen Protection (responsible for the police) posted on facebook that the reactions for the infringement of women’s rights “are excessive because they ignore that here we have a case of conflict between two rights. On the one hand, the prostitute’s right to personality and on the other, the overarching right for public health protection. What matters most, thus, on the weighing scale of the interests and rights of the organised State? The right to reputation and the protection of personal data or the right to saving the life of even one person who may have been unknowingly infected from the disease (HIV). What is the responsibility of a minor who goes for his first ‘experience’ with one of these girls? What will we say to his family? That the blame is his and he has to pay for it? ” (Naftemporiki.gr, 2/5/2012, “M. Chrysochoidis: the publicisation of the prostitutes was very lawful“).

Similarly, the president of centre-wing party PASOK, Ev. Venizelos commented on the case the following on a pre-election interview: “we need to respect the constitutional and fundamental rights of all people; because even someone who is unknowingly infected has rights. He has the right to information and to health protection. You may not disclose, obviously, the picture of an arrested person or an AIDS patient, unless there is an overarching right that is violated that of public health. When there is danger that hundreds young people are infected you are obliged to urge them to go for testing” (Naftemporiki.gr, 2/5/2012, “M. Chrysochoidis: the publicisation of the prostitutes was very lawful”).

At the same period, a poll was conducted, measuring whether the public agree that the state “rightfully” disclosed the photographs and personal information of the accused women because it was in the public interest. The results showed that over 80% of citizens agreed with the policy adopted. This numbers were widely publicized in the media although it wasn’t always clear that it was a research ordered by KEELPNO (Astridou Evangelia, 2013, HIV positive prostitutes: “Witch hunt” in Greece in crisis, academia.edu, Proto Thema, Panagiota Karlatira, 6/5/2012, “’Vote’ in favour of information disclosure for HIV positive prostitutes”).

The left party SYRIZA Rights’ Committee spoke about public humiliation of these women, aiming not to inform society about protection from sexually transmitted diseases, but to cultivate, once more, fear and racism (Naftemporiki.gr, 2/5/2012, “M. Chrysochoidis: the publicisation of the prostitutes was very lawful”).

Support by organisations and independent bodies and Authorities

In parallel, a wide solidarity movement was starting to emerge in order to support the women and resist against the violation of their rights and their lives. Organisations working with HIV positive persons like Centre for Life, Praksis, Positive Voice and Act up issued announcements in support of the women and denouncing the discriminating and humiliating state policies. They also organized the legal representation of K. and the other women.

The Association for HIV positive persons “Positive Voice” immediately issued a press release mentioning, inter alia, the following: “The catastrophic management of the case by the Ministry of Health and KEELPNO violates all concepts of human rights. Mr. Loverdos would very much like to be left alone to play his political and communication games without minding whether his actions has serious consequences both to the lives of HIV positive persons and to public health… The racist campaign of the two Ministers (Health and Citizens Protection) who rushed to blame the importation of HIV on immigrants comes in total antithesis with reality. The majority of women who were arrested and persecuted are of Greek nationality and in fact victims of the absence of policies by the Ministry of Health for drug injecting users”. The president of Praksis, a non-governmental organisation supporting HIV/AIDS patients, said that the co-government violated all globally recognised guidelines for the respect of the rights of people with HIV. “It is a disaster. For 15 years we were doing step forward and everything collapsed in a day” (Independent.gr, 1/5/2012, “The accused women for the explosion of HIV in Greece”, Lifo, Theofilos Doumanis, 30/4/2012, “Unprecedented racist initiative”, TA NEA, 30/4/2012, “Russian prostitute is driven to prison”).

In the following days a new organisation was formed ad hoc under the name “Solidarity initiative for the persecuted HIV positive women”. This group offered all kind of support to K. and the other women and stood by their side throughout their ordeal. Through the web page they initiated (diokomenesorouetikes.wordpress.com), they kept a regular flow of information on the situation of the women and sought further support as necessary. Moreover, they organized regular press conferences with the participation of other organisations supporting the case, to update the public and mobilize resources. Along with this support group another voluntary group of Lawyers, named the “Solidarity Group of Lawyers”, was formed for the legal representation of the women and the structuring of their defense and all other necessary legal motions (I Avgi, Aliki Kosyfoglou, 26/9/2013, “HIV positive women/ Ruins: the chronicle of a public humiliation”, VICE, Anna Nini, 4/11/2016 with update 16/12/2016, “The justification of HIV positive women came four years late. The trial of the women who were traduced four years ago started“, to mov, Sissi Vovou, 5/4/2014, “Small but important victory for two HIV positive women”, Left.gr, 1/11/2012, “Press Conference for the persecuted HIV positive women”).

It is worth mentioning that the majority of non-governmental and human rights organisations in Greece reacted vigorously to the violation of medical confidentiality, which they equated with human rights violation (Global voices in Greek, Maria Sidiropoulou, 11/5/2012, “Greece: Pre-election public humiliation of HIV positive prostitutes”, I Avgi, Aliki Kosyfoglou, 26/9/2013, “HIV positive women/ Ruins: the chronicle of a public humiliation”).

The Ombudsman issued an official announcement on 10 May 2012, stating that disclose of personal information and photographs of HIV/AIDS patients violates human dignity and patient’s rights. The independent Authority adds that this disclosure presents in a wrongful and disorienting way that preserving public goods is not compatible with the parallel protection of fundamental human rights and is opposing the constitutional and European legal civilization. And that measures for the protection of public health may not violate the rights of HIV/AIDS patients (www.synigoros.gr, 10/5/2012, Newsbeast, 11/5/2012, “New reaction for the disclosure of personal data of HIV positive prostitutes”).

The Feminist Initiative for the elimination of violence against women denounced the inhuman and degrading treatment of these women by public authorities and spoke about “racist outburst” and for violation of justice and human rights (Global voices in Greek, Maria Sidiropoulou, 11/5/2012, “Greece: Pre-election public humiliation of HIV positive prostitutes”).

Strong reaction were publicized by other organizations such as the National Committee for Human Rights (EEDA), the Hellenic League for Human Rights (ElEDA), the Therapy Center for Dependent Individuals (KETHEA, www.kethea.gr, 3/5/2012), the Network for the Political and Social Rights, the General Secretariat for Gender Equality and Amnesty International (Global voices in Greek, Maria Sidiropoulou, 11/5/2012, “Greece: Pre-election public humiliation of HIV positive prostitutes”, Astridou Evangelia, 2013, “HIV positive prostitutes: ‘Witch hunt’ in Greece in crisis”, academia.edu).

The Medical Association of Athens (ISA) a few months later declared that “it was a big mistake of national strategy, because the penalization of HIV positive persons or persons with AIDS, irrespective of the way they have been infected, does not help at all, but instead restrains all efforts for epidemiologic surveillance and for the ability of the state to intervene” (enikos.gr, 1/12/2013, “ISA: Increase of infectious diseases”, the press project, 17/1/2013, “ISA: the court acquitted HIV positive women, the ‘stigma’ convicted them”).

Moreover, the Association of Editors of Athens Daily Newspapers (ESHEA) condemned the publication of photographs by newspapers, TV channels and websites, which “contributed to the public humiliation of certain women, violating blatantly the code of ethics and the professional morality of journalists”. (Newsbeast, 4/5/2012, “ESHEA against the disclosure of personal data of prostitutes”). However, there were no disciplinary punishment or any other consequence for journalists who addressed vulgarly this case (I Efimerida ton Syntakton, Tassos Kostopoulos, 30/11/2014, “The ‘Ruins’ of a policy” ).

Global reactions

The actions by the Greek government and the wide publicity attracted also global attention. The UNAIDS issued a press released on 10 May 2012, calling on Greece to protect sex workers and their clients. As stated, inter alia, in the release “the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) expresses its concern over recent actions by Greek authorities involving the arrest, detention, mandatory HIV testing, publication of photographs and personal details, and pressing of criminal charges against at least 12 sex workers. There is no evidence that punitive approaches to regulating sex work are effective in reducing HIV transmission among sex workers and their clients” (www.unaids.org).

Furthermore, question Ε–ΟΟ4637/2012 for written answer by the Commission of the EU was submitted on 7 May 2012 by eight members of the European Parliament asking the following: “Does the Commission think that such acts by the Greek authorities – in particular the campaign of arrests, compulsory testing and publication of personal and sensitive medical data – comply with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the EU Treaties and the obligations deriving from the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to upholding, protecting and promoting fundamental rights, human dignity and equality, to the prohibition of discrimination (notably against HIV-positive individuals, sex workers and migrants), to the right to privacy and to the protection of personal and sensitive data, such as medical information?”And whether the Commission will raise the issue to the Greek Authorities and consult data protection authorities to ensure that EU and national rules on data protection are complied with.

On 5^th July 2012 the Commission answered to the above question as follows: “The Commission is concerned by the publication of names, photographs and other data of prostitutes, who were infected by HIV, in Greece. Such publications can affect the fundamental rights of the persons concerned as they are stigmatised, more specifically the fundamental right to the protection of personal data as enshrined in Article 8 of the Fundamental Rights Charter of the Union. Photographs and health status are personal data which are protected by the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC. However, the processing of sensitive data can be permitted in specific cases, inter alia, for reasons of substantial public interest laid down by law or by a decision of the supervisory authority subject to suitable safeguards being provided. Without prejudice to the powers of the Commission as the guardian of the Treaties, the supervision and enforcement of data protection in the Member States however falls under the competence of their national authorities, in particular data protection supervisory authorities. Nonetheless the Commission will monitor the situation in Greece and contact the national Data Protection Authority in order to receive additional information.”  (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-7-2012-004637_EN.html?redirect).

Finally, via the web-page Change.org a petition was circulated aiming at publicizing the issue and defending women’s rights through the signing in solidarity. Signatures would be sent to the Greek Prime Minister in order to exert some institutional pressure for addressing the matter (Global voices in Greek, Maria Sidiropoulou, 11/5/2012, “Greece: Pre-election public humiliation of HIV positive prostitutes”, https://www.change.org/p/to-the-prime-minister-of-greece-stop-the-forced-testing-and-outing-of-sex-workers).

Citizens’ reactions

Hundreds of netizens criticized the publication of personal data prostitutes as an inhuman error by the Minister of Citizens’ Protection, Mr. Chrysochoidis, and the Minister of Health, Mr. Loverdos, talking about a huge violation of human rights and a pre-electoral witch hunt.

@CrippleHorse: If HIV positive was Greek she wouldn’t be humiliated. She is humiliated in order that Loverdos proves his racist theory that we are infected by foreigners.

@PrinGR: Not Minister of Citizens’ Protection, but Minister of Public Humiliation and Degradation of the (foreign) Citizen Andreas Loverdos.

@Contrabbando: Everything is sacrificed for the defense of big Greek “family man”, who is endangered by ‘health bombs’, according to Loverdos.

@zoemavroudi: Minister Loverdos: Violating medical confidentiality by publishing the HIV status of a prostitute encompasses your legacy.

@Antidrasex: Find the clients and the pimps, @hellenicpolice and give their photos in publicity. Shame on you!

@thesspirit: Good family men from Attika, who went to an ILLEGAL brothel WITHOUT using condom with women VICTIMS of trafficking have NO responsibility.

@papadimi [10]: The real public danger is all those who publicized the photos and most dangerous those who think this is moral.

Many citizens expressed their concerns that this disclosure may be the first step towards the targeting of vulnerable social groups:

@LeVoleur: public humiliation is always a product of a society in decay. @zoemavroudi: The violation of the prostitute’s personal data in Greece is only a sign of what’s to come for the weak. That is, for all of us.

@Yannis Bogiopoulos: Media cries for 1 prostitute with AIDS in Athens. Is she the first? No, but 7 days before elections, it fits with the agenda of terror.

(Global voices in Greek, Maria Sidiropoulou, 11/5/2012, “Greece: Pre-election public humiliation of HIV positive prostitutes”).

Public protests

The day of K.’s and her co-defendants’ appearance to the office of the investigation judge at the Courts of Athens, on 4/5/2012, about 100 people assembled outside the premises to support the prosecuted women and to protest against the disclosure of the personal information and photographs. They displayed banners saying “We are HIV positive with dignity. Stop stigma” and “Men clients commit crimes and women are imprisoned” (I Kathimerini, Eva Karamanoli, 5/5/2012, “16 HIV positive prostitutes were remanded in custody“, Proto Thema, Panagiota Karlatira, 4/5/2012, “Six month pregnant one of the HIV positive prostitutes”, TA NEA, 4/5/2012, “In prison the 16 HIV positive prostitutes“).

On 6^th June 2012 a protest and support march was organized, following the calling of Solidarity Initiative for the Persecuted HIV positive women (Newsbeast, 6/6/2012, “Support march for the persecuted HIV positive women”).

Cultural products

The great impact of this case to all society inspired and provoked the production of one documentary and one theatrical play.

2013. The documentary “Ruins – Chronicle of an HIV witch-hunt” by director Zoe Mavroudi was released in 2013. In the Director’s statement, Zoe Mavroudi presents her project saying, inter alia, the following: “The general election of May 6 pushed the story to the wayside and the media circus subsided, as it always does. But in the months that followed, as news surfaced of the women’s gradual and uneventful release from prison, I became convinced that this was a story that needed to be documented urgently and to hopefully reach a wider audience, outside of Greece. For starters, I wanted to give the women the opportunity to go on the record and reclaim their dignity. I was able to visit them in prison and, with the help from Greek activists from the Solidarity Initiative for their case I interviewed two of those who had been released. I also interviewed two mothers, who endured the aftermath of their daughters’ public exposure in their small rural communities” (https://ruins-documentary.com/en/, I Efimerida ton Syntakton, Tassos Kostopoulos, 30/11/2014, “The ‘Ruins’ of a policy“, I Avgi, Aliki Kosyfoglou, 26/9/2012, “HIV positive women/ Ruins: the chronicle of a public humiliation”, news247, Christos Demetis, 12/11/2016, “The trial of the HIV positive women who were publicly humiliated with Loverdos in office starts“).
2014. Theatrical group ‘Andromeda’ brought on stage the confessions of HIV positive women who were prosecuted and publicly humiliated in 2012. The play is titled “Women from soil” and was directed by Korai Diamati who was also responsible for the composition of the texts. The play was performed three times at the multi-space Vault (8, 15 and 22 May 2019).

Both the documentary and the theatrical play were combined with discussions on the case and updates in order to keep the public informed and secure resources whenever necessary for the women support by the Solidarity Initiative for their case.

As the General Secretary for Gender Equality, Foteini Kouvela, put it during one of the discussions after the theatrical play, our hope is that this will “signal re-thinking and re-defining our values and mobilizing all our forces in the difficult road towards the conquer of essential gender equality in action”. (www.athinorama.gr).

The impact on the persecuted women and their families

The consequences for K. and the other women and their families have been devastating.

Most of the women never got over what happened to them on May 2012, when their personal life and disease made front-page headlines and they were wrongfully sent to prison (HuffPost Greece, Kelly Ioannou, 1/12/2016, “First the conviction and then the trial: how the media “murdered” the case of HIV positive women“).

While they were in prison, they were detained in very bad conditions, shortages in many items of everyday use and without any treatment for HIV/AIDS disease. As one woman said “we were all psychic rags. We are using drugs. For 1,5 month they haven’t given us one painkiller. And the level of cleanness is awful. I had to cut myself in order to transfer me to the Prison Hospital” (Eleftherotypia, Georgia Dama, 12/9/2013, “The chronicle of public humiliation of HIV positive women“, eleutheriellada.wordpress.com, Vassiliki Kalyvioti, 18/8/2012, “HIV positive prostitutes are detained at Korydallos Prison without any treatment for AIDS virus”).

They were released from prison following the amendment of their indictment without any concern of the authorities for their participation in drug rehabilitation and without having received any medical treatment during their imprisonment (I Kathimerini, Ifigeneia Diamanti, 17/11/2012, “HIV positive women are released without any measure“).

As persecuted women have said in their own words:

• “They ridiculed the female gender and then us as people”;
• “It was the lowest thing; we reached bottom as a country” (I Efimerida ton Syntakton, Tassos Kostopoulos, 30/11/2014, “The ‘Ruins’ of a policy“).
• “4 years after I still wonder how much this case still sells. How much humiliation and degradation it still can hold. Even today for the news concerning us we are “the HIV positive women”. We continue to stand trial and be punished for our disease. And our photos remain posted on the internet. Let the stigmatization of people who have a disease of deviate from “normality”. Let the disgrace and degradation against us stop, because we do not stand it anymore…” (The press project, 1/12/2016, «I am one of these girls who were publicly humiliated in 2012”).
• “The harm will hunt eternally us and our children. But we are agents of rights and with the support of the Group of Lawyers and the Solidarity Initiative to the persecuted HIV positive women we will continue to pursue our moral and material vindication”

(Lifo, Aris Dimokidis, 12/5/2016, “Yesterday Maria died at 32. Does Andreas Loverdos remember her?“, Proto Thema, 1/12/2014, “HIV positive Katerina who committed suicide because she was publicly humiliated”).

2014. was one of the active women in the fight to get her dignity and her life back. She relapsed in drug use and committed suicide on November 2014. Sissi Vovou, one of the volunteers of the Solidarity Initiative who knew K. remembers: “One question troubled their minds. Katerina often wondered ‘Why they publicly humiliated us’. It was not prison that bothered them. What annoyed them was the public humiliation” (News247, Giorgos Lampiris, 1/12/2014, “Katerina, Maria and the soul that never acquits”).

Three (3) more women died in the following years (news247, Antonia Ksynou, 15/11/2016, “Public humiliation case: 11 HIV positive women stand trial“, fylo sykis, Vangellio Soumeli and Dimitra Spanou, 24/5/2014, “Two years after the witch hunt: interview with one persecuted HIV positive woman“, Lifo, Aris Dimokidis, 12/5/2016, “Yesterday Maria died at 32. Does Andreas Loverdos remember her?“).

The impact to the family members of K. and the other women were equally devastating. K.’s father attempted suicide and lost his job after K.’s arrest. Another woman had her daughter tested in school in front of all the other students. Women confess that neighbors and relatives stopped speaking to them and their families, especially in small communities. Another woman said that “her siblings lost their job and her child was expelled from school” (Eleftherotypia, Georgia Dama, 12/9/2013, “The chronicle of public humiliation of HIV positive women“, fylo sykis, 4/12/2012, Sissi Vovou, “Three HIV positive imprisoned women talk about their public humiliation”).

One of the 11 women in her apology in court testified: “I try to make a new start in life and leave everything behind. I am clean, I have found a voluntary job, my immune system is strong. Any healthy relationship I try to have, I always fear that they will look in the internet, they will see my photographs and then I will have to give explanations for what had happened. We had difficult times not only because of this story but of the way I learnt I was HIV positive” (luben.gr, 16/12/2016, “Unanimous the court decision for the acquital of the 11 HIV positive women who were publicly humiliated 4 years ago”).

The way institutional bodies and certain media treated those women “allow” us to describe this case as a modern “witch hunt” (I Avgi, Aliki Kosyfoglou, 26/9/2013, “HIV positive women/ Ruins: the chronicle of a public humiliation”).