From: [email-masked]

1360 Mission Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103 USA
Tel. +1-415-255-8680  Fax +1-415-255-8662 email:  [email-masked]

The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission

February 11, 1997
For Immediate Release
Contact:  Mirka Negroni, 415-255-8680

The Land of Carnival is Full of Contradictions

Today, as Carnival ends in Brazil, the International Gay & Lesbian Human
Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and Grupo Gay de Bahia (GGB) release a
groundbreaking human rights report, Epidemic of Hate:  Violations of the
Human Rights of Gay Men, Lesbians and Transvestites in Brazil.

"Behind its international reputation for welcoming sexual diversity, Brazil
hides a shocking secret:  a homosexual is brutally murdered every three
days... The land of Carnival is full of contradictions.  On the one hand,
... a thriving lesbian and gay movement has brought about legislation
prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in 73 cities... On
the other hand, open displays of hatred toward sexual minorities can be
seen in many aspects of Brazilian life," writes Luiz Mott, author of the
report.

In recently released statistics for 1996, GGB has documented one hundred
twenty-six murders of gays, lesbians and transvestites due to their sexual
orientation.  This report examines the context of such violence and calls
on the Brazilian government to properly investigate these crimes and
prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes.

Epidemic of Hate: which is published in English (Portuguese version
forthcoming), promises to bring new international attention to these
crimes. "The Brazilian government must know that the world is watching and
will not be silent as this outrageous level of violence continues with
apparent government complicity," commented Julie Dorf, Executive Director
of IGLHRC.

Brazilian member of Parliament, the Honorable Marta Suplicy, wrote the
forward to the report.  Copies of the report can be ordered directly from
the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission.

The 85-page report, including photos, is available upon request.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jennifer Carson
Information Specialist
IGLHRC