May 13, 2011

Canada Seeks Indefinite Imprisonment of HIV-Positive Man

Canada is seeking a dangerous offender designation for John Aziga, a man believed to be the first in Canada to be convicted of murder through HIV transmission, The Canadian Press (CP) reports.

The designation would allow the government to keep Aziga in jail indefinitely. In his defense against the designation, Aziga told the court he blamed an undescended testicle for his actions.

He was convicted in 2009 of two counts of first-degree murder, 10 counts of aggravated sexual assault and one count of attempted aggravated sexual assault. He had unprotected sex with 11 women to whom he did not disclose his HIV-positive status. Seven of the women became HIV positive, and two of them died of AIDS-related cancers.

He tested HIV positive in 1996. He was issued a public health order to use condoms and disclose he had HIV to sex partners in 2002. He has been in custody since his arrest in 2003.

To read the CP article, click here.

Search: Canada, Aziga, convicted

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Previous Comments:

David G. Gee, HALIFAX, 2011-06-10 09:13:49
The current Conservative government had this waiting until the recent election gave him a majority in the House of Commons - something he (Stephen Harper) has been praying for. Now he can virtually do whatever he wants. Prior to this he had to resort to whatever tactics were needed. He is ultra right wing probably unmatched in history. He needs to be watched closely. He works quietly achieving his private agenda and cares less whether he is found out. He is an embarassment to Canada.

Question, , 2011-06-03 17:30:40
Do you all think that transmission of HIV was his intent?

Andrew, Cleveland, OH, 2011-06-02 02:42:37
The only real story in this is that Poz is misrepresenting some murderous lunatic as an innocent Victim of Society while other pozzies face discrimination everywhere. Where's your advocacy for the women who died because of him? For those who will? Telling people to "take ownership" is a vile cop out in this instance. This magazine and its wretched message board are the only places I see nihilism played off as "empowerment". This guy killed, and he deserves worse than he's getting.

MARY, , 2011-05-30 10:13:30
I THINK HE DESERVES TO DIE IN PRISON,, IVE BEEN INFECTED WITH HIV MT BOYFRIEND DID NOT DISCLOSE THIS TO ME I TRUSTED HIM AND HE WAS ALL ABOUT LIES ,, IM IN THE PROCESS NOW OF COURT AND I HOPE HE GETS CHARGED AS A DANGEROUS OFFENDER , HE NOT ONLY INFECTED ME THERS ALSO ANOTHER WOMWN AS WELL,, CHEATTING AND LIES AND SPREADDING HIS DISEASE SHOULD BE A CRIMINAL OFFENCE !

David, Halifax, 2011-05-25 17:00:02
In Canada many are anxious and fearful of a prime minister (Stephen Harper, leader of the progressive conservatives) who has just won an election and holds a majority in the House of Commons. He had been the leader of a minority government which made him accountable to other parties in the House. His tendency has been to make alot of decisions for Canada which were dishonest and very much like the extreme right wing. He needs to watched. He is homophobic.

Jerry, Saint Petersburg, 2011-05-17 20:18:57
You all should have titled this differently so that it didn't sound like it was not his fault at first reading of introduction to article.

Jack, Washington dc, 2011-05-17 17:47:49
Bad headline. Totally made me unsubscribe. Wish your orginization the best.

Sabazius, Vancouver, 2011-05-17 16:14:05
He's blaming an undescended ball? How is that even a problem? I don't think it means anything. Poor excuse. He's been warned, then re-warned and killed 2 people infecting 7? If he had been sexually assaulted and was acting out. If he was given it from someone else who never told him up front. . . I would expect the same treatment - So much suffering, no conscience and separating him from society is the best for the safety of society. It's sexual terrorism. Get him out of society fast.

Greg747, Patchogue, NY, 2011-05-17 13:49:08
Seriously, Poz? With such a leading head-line, you would think that we are all going to jail/gaol soon! This assh*** murdered two people - stop right there - on top of his other crimes. Yes, keep him in jail till he dies. This has nothing to do with HIV or AIDS - murderers get life in jail period. Better than getting fried or hanged here in the States!

mcmunch, Vancouver, 2011-05-17 13:35:59
While your headline on this story is factually accurate, to my mind it creates a false link suggesting the jail sentence is about his being HIV+. A more careful wording would place the emphasis on the fact that it was murder-by-HIV-transmission that resulted in the sentence.

Changing Canada, , 2011-05-17 12:34:52
How outrageous to indefinitely imprison someone. Only the most HIV bigoted people can think this way. The women were sleeping around having multiple partners and they knew the risks and should have protected themselve. Aziga is not murderer and Canada is not a progressive human rights oriented country.

Ed, San Diego, 2011-05-17 12:21:38
I am at a loss to understand why the women took absolutely no responsibility for their own health. Why didn't they make him use a condom before having sex?

Cgirl, Canada, 2011-05-17 10:20:24
I think this will serve as a lesson to other people living with HIV who are aware of their status but go around having unprotected sex. Although I do agree that criminalization of HIV may prevent people from testing, I still feel that justice has to be done in a case like this where he knew his status and went around deliberately spreading it and killing others.