NGO protest AIDS workers' arrests

[Guest guest]

NGO protest AIDS workers' arrests

The Hindu, New Delhi, July 20, 2001

Criticizing the action of the Lucknow police, who on July 7

raided the offices of Naz Foundation International (NFI)

and Bharosa organizations and arrested four activists and

five other under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code,

social activists and lawyers today demanded immediate

dropping of the case and bail for the accused. They said

the charges were unfounded.

The NFI and Bharosa, involved with HIV prevention and

sexual health work in Lucknow, held press conference here

to point how Section 377 was impeding preventive work of

outfits as it is discriminatory towards people whose

preferences are non-heterosexual and also leads to

harassment of outreach workers. " It is discriminatory

and violates the right to life and personal liberty of

sexual minorities " , the project manager of the Naz

Foundation (India) Trust, Mr. Shaleen Rakesh, said.

He alleged that the police were misusing Section 377 for

harassing HIV activists. Those arrested had also been

charged with criminal conspiracy, abetment, sale of

obscene books and literature under the IPC, and violation

of sections of the Indecent Representation of Women Act

and the Copyright Act.

The director of Lawyers Collective (HIV/AIDS unit),

Mr. Anand grover, said: " Men who prefer other Men (MSM)

have been identified as a vulnerable group to the virus.

Organizations working on prevention and awareness within

this group have to use explicit material for educative

purposes. If you are to communicate messages, you can not

do it without such material. For a uniformed, man to seize

such material as 'obscene' and brand them as pornographic

makes the fundamental right to access of accurate

information and necessary health care services impossible.

It also pushes the HIV/AIDS epidemic underground. "

He added that the use of Section 377 against NGOs working

on HIV/AIDS and sexual health, as has been done against

Bharosa and NFI, is a setback to prevention of HIV/AIDS,

which is spreading at an alarming rate. According to

National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) report, India

has the second largest population of HIV positive people.

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Forwarded by: Dr. Jagdish Harsh

Asistant Director

François Xavier Bagnoud India Society

161, Satya Niketan, Moti Bagh-II,

New Delhi-110 021, India.

Tel: +91.11.611 17930-94; Fax: +91.11.410 7381

Email: fxbindia@...; Web: http://www.fxb.org/india.htm

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