Indian police
have arrested four gay men for "spreading
homosexuality," and activists on Thursday demanded their
release, Agence France-Presse reported.
"The arrests of four members of a gay club is an
attack on their human rights. These people should be
released immediately," Yashodhra Dasgupta of voluntary
organization Sahyog in Lucknow told the news agency.
"The law under which the arrests were made is a 19th century
law enacted during British rule. This archaic law should be repealed."
Police charge that the men were "running a
secret Internet club for homosexuals," AFP reported.
UNAIDS also called for the men's release.
"Criminalization of people most at risk for HIV
infection may increase stigma and discrimination,
ultimately fueling the AIDS epidemic," the group said in a
statement. "UNAIDS underlines that in India...fear of
prosecution often prevents men who have sex with men
from accessing information and services they need to
protect themselves from HIV infection."
The news service reported that India has 5.1
million people with HIV/AIDS, second only to South
Africa, which has the world's largest number of
infected people. (Advocate.com)
