FIJI: Men jailed for gay sex

Two men, one an Australian citizen, were sentenced two years' imprisonment by a Fijian court on April 6, for engaging in "unnatural offences" and "indecent practice between two males". The men had made a video featuring gay sex. Homosexuality is illegal in Fiji. The men pleaded guilty, stating they did believe they had "done anything wrong". The Sexual Minority Project in Fiji issued a statement commenting that if the issue was trafficking in pornography, that should have been what the men were charged with, and condemning the persecution of people based on sexual orientation. The Australian foreign affairs office decided not to interfere, commenting that Australians need to obey the laws of countries they are in.

From Green Left Weekly, April 20, 2005.

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From GLW issue 623