Gay protesters held in Uganda

2008-06-04 12:42

Kampala - Ugandan police arrested a group of gay activists demanding the right to HIV/Aids treatment at an international Aids conference in Kampala on Wednesday.

Hundreds of activists disrupted the morning plenary session of the conference, calling for rights, recognition and access to services and funds extended to groups involved in the fight against the spread of HIV/Aids.

"We came to demonstrate because there is a need to include gay Ugandans in HIV programmes," the group's leader, Julian Onziema, 28, said shortly before he was arrested.

The number of Ugandan homosexuals was not known, but membership of gay groups was believed to be increasing as activists stepped up their attempts to secure gay rights.

Two Spanish tourists held

Uganda did not recognise gay rights and people found guilty of homosexual acts could be sentenced to life imprisonment. However, nobody had ever been convicted of the crime.

Homosexuality was frowned upon in many African nations.

Gambian President Yahya Gammeh recently threatened to "cut off the head" of any homosexual caught in the West African nation.

Two Spanish tourists were arrested on Tuesday for making homosexual advances to Gambian taxi drivers, but were believed to have been released.

Homosexuality carried a sentence of up to 14 years in Gambia. More than 1 700 delegates were attending the five-day conference that began in Kampala on Tuesday.

They were examining the challenges faced by governments, non- governmental organisations and United Nations agencies in the fight against the spread of HIV/Aids.

Sapa-dpa

- SAPA