Charles Mpaka reports:
It was, Malawian police say, a routine sweep for criminals at one of the country’s busiest border posts. They were looking for criminals.
But when the police arrested 14 prostitutes as part of their search, and then allegedly forcefully tested them for HIV and charged them for “deliberately trading in sex while having a sexually transmitted disease”, human rights organisations had to step in.
The forceful HIV testing of the women was a violation of the women’s rights, human rights organisations say. But Malawian police have claimed that it was nothing more than just a routine part of their of job.
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