201. The Special Representative sent an urgent appeal on 25 July 2001 concerning a police raid, on 7 July 2001, on the offices of the Bharosa Trust, a local organization for gay men, and of the liaison office in Lucknow of the Naz Foundation International (NFI), an international development agency providing technical support for the promotion of male sexual and reproductive health in South Asia. The police reportedly seized HIV/AIDS information and prevention material, and arrested Arif Jafar, executive director of the Bharosa Trust in Lucknow, as well as other Trust members, namely Mohhamad Shadid, Sudhish Kumar Singh, Parmeshwar Nayar and Pankaj Kumar. They were allegedly detained in Lucknow district jail and charged with conspiracy to commit unnatural offences. Fears have been expressed that evidence was planted by the police in the raids, which were conducted subsequent to the arrest and detention of the workers. If the charges are retained against them, the members of both organizations would face up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

link to full text of the Report: http://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/0/e816b20139e397e6c1256b9e00477e18