Greek Bill to Detain Illegal Immigrants for Disease Is Alarming

A Greek proposal to detain illegal immigrants suspected of having HIV/AIDS or other infectious diseases has been labeled “deeply alarming” and discriminatory by Amnesty International. “The law will foresee the right to detain non-nationals - whether they have applied for political asylum or not - if they pose a risk to public health,” the Associated Press quoted the bill’s authors as saying.

The measure was submitted Monday. That same day, the Athens News Agency reported that Greece has announced plans to create 30 detention centers for illegal immigrants, each holding 1,000 people, at a cost of more than $333 million in European Union funds.

Amnesty International said the proposed law would victimize the most vulnerable people in Greek society by targeting sex workers, drug users, and people living in unsanitary conditions. Amnesty also said asylum-seekers face “severe difficulties” in trying to plead their cases in Greece and would risk being rounded up with other immigrants.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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