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AIDS activist victorious in Rath legal battle

    JOHANNESBURG

    South Africa's Cape High Court has ordered controversial vitamin salesman Dr Matthias Rath to stop slandering the reputation of AIDS lobby group, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).

    In 2005 Rath ran a high-profile media campaign attacking antiretrovirals (ARVs) and TAC, saying the medication was poisonous, and multivitamins alone could treat AIDS.

    Although welcoming the judgement, TAC director Zackie Achmat expressed frustration at the time it had taken for the judges to deliver their ruling.

    "It's very sad this matter has taken nearly a year to decide, and I'm worried about how the courts are administered," the South African Press Association quoted Achmat as saying.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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