The impact of criminalising the transmission of HIV/AIDS in the United Arab Emirates

HIV/AIDS is a disease which emerged in the early 1980s and rapidly became a grave problem of global proportions. Millions of people fall victims to HIV/AIDS while its cause and remedy have not yet been discovered. This epidemic has captured the attention of politicians, economists, sociologists, clergy, lawyers, judges and police officers all over the world and mobilised them to curb or control it by finding solutions that limit the extent of its transmission. Through this research, I have investigated the possibility of criminalising the intentional or unintentional transmission of HIV in the United Arab Emirates. The importance of this research emanates from the fact that there is no stipulation in the UAE penal code which incriminates this act. The study also examines the impact of criminalisation and whether criminalisation is compatible with the Islamic teachings, drawing on the experiences of Arab states and other advanced countries, and finally whether it is in line with the views of human rights organisations.