# French court to rule on HIV ban in armed forces

> Campaigners challenge rules that bar people with HIV from military pilot and commando roles despite treatment.
- Title: French court to rule on HIV ban in armed forces · RFI
- Summary: Campaigners challenge rules that bar people with HIV from military pilot and commando roles despite treatment. French civil rights groups have taken the…
- Keywords: france, hiv, armed forces, discrimination, council of state, stop homophobie, sos racisme, medical fitness, military pilots, commando units, news, world
- Source: RFI — https://rfi.fr/en/france/20261015-challenge-to-hiv-restrictions-in-french-armed-forces-goes-before-top-court
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: france, hiv, armed forces, discrimination, council of state, stop homophobie, sos racisme, medical fitness, military pilots, commando units, news, world
## Civil rights groups sue over HIV ban
STOP Homophobie and SOS Racisme have brought a case before France's Council of State challenging the exclusion of people living with HIV from certain military and emergency service posts.
## France opened some roles in 2023
In May 2023, France opened the army, gendarmerie and Paris and Marseille fire brigades to people living with HIV, but some positions remain restricted.
## Certain posts still off-limits
Military pilots, those in commando units and some specialist firefighting jobs remain closed to people with HIV because of medical assessments using the Sigycop classification system.
## Automatic exclusion despite treatment
People living with HIV automatically cannot receive the highest rating in Sigycop tests even if receiving treatment, asymptomatic and in perfect health, lawyer Étienne Deshoulières said.

> even if receiving treatment, asymptomatic and in perfect health
## Groups call it discrimination
The organisations argue the medical fitness requirements discriminate against all people living with HIV without distinction and amount to HIV-related discrimination that is indirectly homophobic and racist.
## Disproportionate impact on minorities
Forty-two percent of people living with HIV in France are men who have sex with men, while twenty-four percent are from sub-Saharan Africa, according to France's national agency for Emerging Infectious Diseases research.
## Ministers asked to change rules
The organisations asked the Minister for the Armed Forces, the Interior Minister and the Health Ministry to repeal the provisions on thirty June, but received no response.
## Case escalated to top court
After receiving no response from ministers, the organisations brought the case to the Council of State, France's highest administrative court, to challenge what they call an excess of power by recruiters.
## Lawyer demands fitness overhaul
Étienne Deshoulières, the lawyer bringing the case, said the organisations are asking for medical fitness requirements to be overhauled to remove the automatic exclusion of people living with HIV.
## Key takeaway

French civil rights groups have taken the armed forces to the country's highest court over rules that exclude people living with HIV from certain military and emergency service posts.