‘Distribute condoms in jails to prevent AIDS’

[Guest guest]

`Distribute condoms in jails to prevent AIDS'

Srabana Lahiri: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 00:38 IST

MUMBAI: Homosexuality and HIV-positive inmates are ground realities

in jails, and the administration would do well to distribute condoms

to prisoners, said Anand Grover, project director of Lawyers'

Collective (HIV/AIDS unit) on Sunday.

" Twenty-four prisoners have died of AIDS in the Arthur Road Jail. We

must recognise that man-to-man sex is a reality in prisons, and

provide safe tools, like condoms, to prevent the spread of AIDS, "

Grover said, speaking at the national conference on Prison Reforms

and Prisoners' Rights at the Tata Institute of Social Science

(TISS).

A large percentage of prisoners are in the sexually active age

group. According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau

statistics, 43.29 per cent of prisoners are 18-30 years old, while

44.95 per cent are 30-50 years old. " Putting people behind bars

doesn't curb their sexuality. Since homosexuality is illegal, prison

officials, too, won't admit it exists. Section 377 of the IPC should

be done away with. Until that happens, the National AIDS Control

Organisation should consider putting up condom-vending machines in

jails, " said Arvind Tiwari, coordinator of the Centre for Socio-

legal Studies and Human Rights, TISS, which organised the meet along

with the India Centre for Human Rights and Law.

Homosexuality is illegal under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code,

which says " whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the

order of nature with any man, woman or animal " can invite a maximum

sentence of life imprisonment and fine. Iftikar Gilani of Kashmir

Times shared his experience of incarceration at Tihar Jail with the

audience.

" With so much overcrowding in our jails, where is the opportunity to

have sex? " he said. Other participants wanted to know if the

administration would license homosexuality and provide privacy to

prisoners to indulge in safe sex.

Jailed birds

Homosexuality is illegal under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code

A large percentage of prisoners are in the sexually active group.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 43.29 per cent are

30-50 years old.

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