The poster campaign of the Aides association gave rise to three complaints in Laval denouncing “the dissemination of a violent or pornographic message”.
On the eve of World AIDS Day organized at the end of November 2016, the Aides association revealed to the general public information that could change everything. “This is information widely validated scientifically but which is still struggling to make its way to the general public: an HIV-positive person under treatment no longer transmits the virus”, write these activists in their last campaign named “Revelation”.
Antiretroviral drugs have, it is true, become very effective, so much so that they make the virus undetectable in the blood and sexual fluids of those affected. This means that people with HIV no longer transmit HIV, even if they are in an unprotected relationship. “Such information deeply shakes up representations about people living with HIV,” Aides hopes.
To make this reality admitted, the association is therefore presenting to the general public 4 black and white visuals photographed by Mathieu César. The message of the Revelation campaign is simple: “People with HIV on treatment have a lot to tell us. But not the AIDS virus ”. Each visual thus presents a couple (three heterosexuals and one homosexual) reproducing sexual scenes during a sporting or artistic activity: parachuting, scuba diving, dance and piano. One of the two is HIV positive and passes on his knowledge, his talent to his partner.
Our Facebook page is temporarily inactive. Find the campaign #Revelation on https://t.co/5PZ7Qu4bS5 We will come back quickly promised! Kisses pic.twitter.com/QB8wCPA0Sc
– Association AIDES (@assoAIDES) November 25, 2016
Images that shocked some of our fellow citizens. The Aids poster campaign in fact led to three complaints from residents in Laval (Mayenne), the site revealed on Tuesday Marianne. The three complaints were deemed admissible by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for “dissemination of a violent or pornographic message contrary to dignity, accessible to a minor”.
According to article 227-24 of the Penal Code, this offense is punishable by three years’ imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros. And according to a member of the Aides association, the prosecution has already asked Muriel Briffault, director of animation network of Aids, to remove the posters from the city. Shocked, the latter would have refused to comply: “ Until proof to the contrary, we are in a state of law with a fundamental principle, it is that we are presumed innocent of what we are accused ”, she declares in Marianne.
The premises of the association tagged in Laval
In this same city, the premises of the association were also tagged, and a showcase was even destroyed by a projectile throw in Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) on the night of January 6 to 7. Degradations for which a complaint has been filed by the members of the association.
As a reminder, this case echoes another that surrounded an HIV prevention poster campaign featuring gay couples in November. Right-wing elected officials then denounced these posters, referring to child protection.
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