Date: Sat, 2 Dec 95 19:10 +0300 From: AESOP Center WORLD AIDS DAY NEWS BRIEF * AESOP Center, Moscow Contact: Kevin Gardner +7(502) 224-3118 or +7(095) 141-8315 AN IRON CURTAIN CLOSES AGAINST HIV-POSITIVES 1 December 1995, MOSCOW--The Russian Government has confirmed the type of medical certificate showing HIV status required to receive a Russian entry visa, according to which people with HIV/AIDS will be barred from coming to Russia for longer than 3 months. This certificate signifies official resolve to implement the controversial AIDS law passed by the Russian Parliament earlier this year. The supposed purpose of the medical certificate is to restrict HIV-positive foreigners from being on Russian territory long-term, according to a representative of the Russian Government Information Center, Aleksandr L. Voznesensky. "A certificate system is ineffective in terms of public health, discriminatory in terms of human rights, and ludicrous in terms of feasibility," asserted Dr. Lola Karimova, a Moscow gynaecologist and the Women's Health Director of the AESOP Center. The Russian government resolution approving this certificate, issued 25 November 1995, directly contradicts this year's slogan for World AIDS Day--"Shared Rights, Shared Responsibilities"--by denying people with HIV/AIDS the basic human rights to privacy and freedom of movement. Last year on this day, Russia even signed the Paris Declaration guaranteeing people with HIV/AIDS equal access to work, education and travel. The official number of registered HIV and AIDS cases in Russia as of 1 December 1995 is 1,033, although most experts agree the actual number is much higher. ### ACTIVITIES FOR WORLD AIDS DAY IN RUSSIA 1 DECEMBER 1995 - "Shared Rights, Shared Responsibilities" Prepared by the AESOP Center, Moscow AESOP Center tel/fax +7(095) 141 83 15 or +7(502) 224 31 18 1) Morning: Visit to the Russian AIDS Center to present gifts to patients (toys and clothes for the children, food packages and other items for the adults), prepared by members of the International Women's Club in Moscow. 2) Afternoon: HIV/AIDS presentation at School No. 81 for classes 9-11. 3) Evening (23.00 till morning): Free condoms and "safer sex" brochures at the PTYUCH Club. Club entrance fee: $15 w/flyer; $20 without; $5 members. 4) Invitation to visit AESOP's new home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.glasnet.ru/~vega/aesop/ NAMES Fund tel/fax +7(095) 165 23 59 17.00: Press conference about the celebrity concert "Stars Against AIDS" in memory of Freddie Mercury, at Luzhniki Stadium, entrance 10. Concert at 19.00. AIDS infoshare tel/fax +7(095) 110 24 60 20.00 "Disco Against AIDS" fundraising event at the Hippopotam Club, Mantulinskaya Street 5/1, building 5 (metro 1905 Street). Association Against AIDS, tel. +7(095) 190 30 62, with Ogonyok-VID-AntiAIDS 30.11.95 at 14.00: A joint press conference entitled "Safety of Donated Blood Supply in Moscow" addressed the following questions: 1) A global program to guarantee screening of donated blood, targeting children, in cooperation with the Ivanovsky Institute of Virusology. 2) Training of specialists to work in this program. 3) Purchase of "Blood Transfusion Station" kits and equipment for children's hospitals, birth houses, and the blood transfusion ward at the Republic Children's Hospital (total of 15,000 children per year). 4) AIDS video clips contest in cooperation with Ogonyok magazine and "VID" television studio, since 1993. Russian Ministry of Health tel. +7(095) 292 97 71 or 42 44 12.00 Press conference at the House of Government in cooperation with the Russian AIDS Research Center and the Sanitary Epidemiological Surveillance. International AIDS Project tel/fax +7(812) 113 86 01 Press conference announcing the registration of the International AIDS Project Charity Fund in St. Petersburg. ****************************************************************************** To send a message to the entire list "queerplanet", email queerplanet@abacus.oxy.edu This list is run by the program MAJORDOMO@abacus.oxy.edu. *******************************************************************************