Date: Fri, 06 Jan 1995 20:51:39 -0800 (PST) From: International Gay Lesbian Human Rights Commission Subject: ALBANIA: Gays Tortured by Police NEW Gay Activists Arrested and Tortured in Albania Alleged members of Albania's first and only gay and lesbian organization, Shoqata Gay Albania, have been rounded up and severely beaten by the Albanian police in an apparent attempt to discover the name of the group's president. According to information received by the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), three men suspected by authorities of being members of Shoqata Gay Albania were seized by police in the capital, Tirana, on the night of Friday, 14 October 1994. They were accused of belonging to an illegal organization. Police beat them for several hours, demanding the names of the president and other members of Shoqata Gay Albania. IGLHRC understands that all three men have since been released. One of the men was beaten so badly he had to be admitted to a hospital. Shoqata Gay Albania was founded in March 1994. Since homosexual acts between consenting adult males remains illegal in Albania, the group was unable to seek legal recognition. The Albanian government has proposed a revision of the law criminalizing consensual adult homosexual acts which would reduce the punishment for such acts from 10 to 3 years' imprisonment. The proposal, which falls far short of the complete decriminalization ostensibly required of applicant countries to the Council of Europe, is scheduled for parliamentary debate in November. Letters are urgently needed urging the following: 1. Article 114 of the Albanian Penal Code contradicts internationally established notions of human rights. The right to engage in private, consensual sex with other adults is not a legitimate area for state regulation. 2. The arrest and beating of persons suspected of being members of Shoqata Gay Albania violates Articles 26 and 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, of which Albania is a signatory. 3. The international community of nations will continue to monitor events in Albania and will press for discussion of these concerns in every venue available should this anti-gay persecution continue. Write to: Dr. Sali Berisha President i Republiks se Shqiperis Tirana, ALBANIA fax: +355-42-337-61 Mr. Argon Musaraj Minister i Rendit Publik Tirana, ALBANIA fax: +355-42-343-61 mercury%