The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) in Makkah on Wednesday called on the Shoura Council to approve a draft HIV/AIDS law that will consolidate the social and economic rights of people living with the illness in this country. The legislation provides 12 areas of protection for HIV/AIDS patients, including the right to pensions after retirement and abolishing HIV/AIDS tests needed for employment, except for health and military jobs. It also prevents anyone from publicly revealing the names of HIV/AIDS patients and makes it mandatory for doctors and medical institutions to provide medical care to them. In addition, a national center should be set up to offer free treatment to such patients. Whoever violates these rules will be sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of SR50,000, the draft law states. It also stipulates that a patient who transmits the disease to another person should be imprisoned for five years. Talal Qusti, a member of the NSHR, urged the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the Ministry of Labor, to make it mandatory for Saudi companies to abolish the condition which prevents Saudi HIV/AIDS patients from being employed, on the grounds that this contradicts or violates their legitimate right to work. The draft law also calls for medical treatment of all non-Saudis suffering from HIV/AIDS, before they are deported to their countries. If one of the spouses contracts the disease, medical authorities must inform the wife or husband in person. It also called on the authorities to not prevent Saudi patients from traveling abroad and pursuing their education because this is in violation of their rights. __
