Nadja Benaissa, singer with the German band No Angels, was arrested in Frankfurt on Saturday. She is being held on suspicion that she infected a partner with HIV.
The public prosecutor's office in the German town of Darmstadt says Benaissa is being held because of the "urgent suspicion that the accused had unprotected sexual intercourse with three people in the years 2004 and 2006 without telling them beforehand that she was HIV positive."
At least one of these partners has tested positive for HIV, allegedly as a result of having had intercourse with the singer.
Nadja Benaissa
It isn't clear what all the circumstances were in Nadja Benaissa's case, but under German law she could be facing a charge of grievous bodily harm which can carry a sentence of between 6 months and 10 years.
The problem with criminalization is that it can come down to one person's word against another. Questions also arise over what is legal and what is not. Education and counseling is a better approach all round.
Nadja was preparing for a solo concert in Frankfurt when she was arrested. The manager of No Angels, Khalid Schröder, declined to comment on the arrest.
