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(New Delhi) Gay rights protestors marched through
the streets of New Delhi on Thursday demanding the repeal of laws against sodomy
and the release of four men arrested at a gay club earlier this month.
The protest was a rare site in the country where
homosexuality is punishable by a length term in prison with hard labor. The law
has been on the books since the mid 19th century when India was under British
colonial rule.
Nearly 30 protestors demonstrated in front of the
offices of the northern Uttar Pradesh state where four men were charged with for
homosexuality and running an LGBT Web site. The state maintains an office for
state representatives in the capital.
Police looked on as the protestors waved signs
reading "Queer and Proud," and "My sexuality, My right".
Gautam Bhan a spokesperson for the group said
that the charges against the men had been fabricated by police. Bhan said that
the men were not engaging in sex at the club and the Web site disseminated
information on HIV AIDS.
Police say they have uncovered dozens of names
from the computers of the Web site and are determining whether to lay additional
charges.
Police have recently stepped up prosecutions of
gays and lesbians as the LGBT movement became more open.
Last year the Delhi High Court Wednesday upheld
the sodomy law dismissing a petition by an LGBT rights group seeking a judicial
review of the law. (story)
The Naz Foundation said that laws around the
world on homosexuality have drastically changed and India is out of step. The
case is currently before India's Supreme Court.
The United Nations on Wednesday condemned the
treatment of gays in the country. The world body's agency on HIV/AIDS said that
by driving gays underground the government is fueling the AIDS crisis.
India has the highest rate for the disease after South Africa.
Denis Broun, UNAIDS India coordinator, said that
by criminalizing people who are most at risk of HIV increases stigmatization of
gays and ultimately fuels the epidemic.
©365Gay.com 2006
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