Police in Sri Lanka are employing inhuman ways to confirm whether a man has engaged in gay sex, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Sri Lanka, an island nation of 21 million people, criminalizes “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” and “gross indecency between persons.”.
The law emanates from Sections 365 and 365A of the Penal Code, which the British passed in 1883 during its colonial rule.
If convicted, offenders may face up to 10 years in prison and pay an ordered amount in fines.
When searching for evidence, Sri Lankan police allegedly whip suspects with wires before performing anal probes, using either their fingers or some other tools.
“Sri Lanka’s Justice Ministry should immediately bar judicial medical officers from conducting forced anal examinations, which flagrantly violate medical ethics as well as basic rights.”.
Aside from gay sex, Sri Lanka also prohibits LGBTQ people from serving in the military, donating blood and adopting children. »