Court rules Mexican army can't discharge HIV-positive soldiers

A Mexican court this week ruled that an armed forces law that makes HIV infection grounds for dismissing HIV-positive soldiers is unconstitutional, Inter Press Service reports. An HIV-positive sergeant in the Mexican army challenged the law after being discharged from the army after seeking medical help for himself, his wife, and his son, all of whom are HIV-positive. Armed forces officials had argued that HIV infection was a disability that prevented soldiers from meeting the physical requirements of their jobs. But the court ruled that the policy is discriminatory, and violates the Mexican constitution, six international treaties, and several national laws that prohibit the discrimination against and firing of HIV-positive people. Mexican law does not allow the court's decision to be appealed.