Date: 15 Jun 94 00:11 PDT From: International Gay Lesbian Human Rights Commission INTERNATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 1360 Mission Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, California 94114 USA Tel. +01-415.255.8680 Fax +01-415.255.8662 Press Release 6 June 1994 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Photos Available) Contact: Julie Dorf: 415-255-8660 Jairo Pedraza: 212-337-3504 Gloria Lockett: 510-874-7850 Hiroshi Niimi: 81-3-3383-5556 Japanese Immigration Detains Gay Man With HIV -- Activists Pledge to Fight HIV Restriction In a sharp departure from what Japanese government officials had promised, an American AIDS activist was detained at the border after he admitted to being gay and HIV positive. The news deeply embarrassed the organizers of the Tenth International Conference on AIDS who have been publicly declaring for months that no one would be turned away from Japan "simply because he or she is HIV positive." Japanese laws forbid entry by all former and current sex workers and convicted drug users, and those HIV positive people whom immigration authorities deem "likely to infect the general public". The Tenth International Conference on AIDS is expected to draw thousands of scientists, activists and educators, many themselves HIV positive, when it opens in Yokohama, Japan on August 7th, 1994. Jairo Pedraza arrived at Tokyo Airport on May 27th. He was arriving for a week's worth of lobbying and public appearances organized by OCCUR, the Tokyo based Association for the Lesbian and Gay Movement. Also invited were Gloria Lockett of the California Prostitute's Education Project and Julie Dorf of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). The activists had hoped to clarify the reception HIV positive delegates could expect in August. A clarification that came after Pedraza wrote "I am a homosexual man living with AIDS" on his immigration card. Japanese officials responded by detaining Pedraza for three hours. He was given no food or water, refused access to a bathroom, allowed no phone calls and asked a series of intrusive questions in front of seven other people. "Despite the government's apology, we are very concerned about what this means for August" said Julie Dorf, Executive Director of IGLHRC. "People with HIV, sex workers, and addicts obviously need to be prepared to deal with a the very real consequences of bad immigration laws if they want access to the International Conference." Access is important to the activists who are committed to the conference being held in Asia, a region where everyday there are 2,000 new HIV infections. Last week, Japanese lesbian and gay activists organized meetings with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Justice, members of the Japanese Diet, and the Conference organizers in an effort to have the Conference made more accessible to those that Japan's immigration laws seek to keep out of the country -- sex workers, drug addicts and the HIV positive. Their efforts met with some success on June 3rd, when the Ministry of Justice announced that it would grant special, one time permission to former sex workers and drug users if the Ministry determines they would play a key role in the conference. Hiroshi Niimi, Executive Director of OCCUR, was pleased. "This is a small but important step that acknowledges the role of grass roots activists. We encourage those activists from all over the world to join us in Yokohama." # # #