Dushanbe police say 10 detained over alleged intentional HIV transmission

Police in Dushanbe have detained 10 people since the beginning of 2026 on suspicion of intentionally transmitting HIV or exposing others to the risk of infection, the Dushanbe Police Directorate has reported.
According to the Dushanbe police, investigators believe the suspects may have exposed more than 60 people to HIV. In several cases, police said, individuals who were aware of their HIV-positive status had sexual relations with others without taking measures to prevent transmission.
Police cited the case of a 25-year-old woman who, according to investigators, had sexual relations with more than 20 young men, allegedly exposing them to the risk of HIV infection.
Criminal proceedings have been instituted under Article 125 of Tajikistan’s Criminal Code, which covers the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus. The cases have been sent to court, the directorate said.
Under Article 125, transmitting HIV to another person by someone who knew they were living with the virus is punishable by two to five years in prison. Intentional transmission to two or more people carries a sentence of five to 10 years.
Dushanbe police urged residents to take responsibility for their own health and that of others and to be aware of the consequences of HIV transmission.
Having HIV does not in itself mean that a person poses a danger to others. Modern antiretroviral treatment can significantly reduce the risk of transmission. The criminal liability described by police relates to cases in which individuals were allegedly aware of their HIV status and intentionally transmitted the virus or exposed others to the risk of infection.
As of September 2025, Tajikistan had registered 13,045 people living with HIV, including 993 children under the age of 18. Among adults living with HIV, 5,035 were women and 7,017 were men. Sexual contact remained the main reported route of transmission.
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