India: Stop Abuse of Sexual Rights Activists
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/10/28/india20085_txt.htm10/28/2008
(New York, October 28, 2008) – Indian authorities should investigate the mass arrests and ill-treatment of activists working on sexual orientation and gender-identity issues in Bangalore and punish those responsible, Human Rights Watch said today.
On October 20, 2008, police arrested five hijras (working-class, male-to-female, transgender people), detained representatives of a nongovernmental organization trying to negotiate their release, and subsequently attacked a group of peaceful demonstrators protesting the arrests. A total of 42 people were detained. The negotiators later informed Human Rights Watch that police officials told them higher-level authorities had ordered a campaign to arrest hijras on serious charges.
