Demand Investigation Over Guatemalan Attack on "Our Gay Beauty" HIV Prevention Event

"On October 18, 2008, two Guatemalan organizations—Amigos contra el Sida and Asociación Gay de Samayac—organized an event called “Our Gay Beauty” in Samayac Suchitepéquez. The event itself was focused on HIV prevention in the context of the campaign by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. During the evening, someone threw a tear gas bomb into the space where the event was being held. While no one was seriously injured, people fainted, children became excessively tearful, and everyone was affected by the fumes. This is the second time this year that tear gas bombs have been used to attack events held by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) joins Colectivo Amigos Contra el Sida in requesting that you send emails or faxes asking Guatemalan authorities for a fair and thorough investigation of the case, and to make sure that similar attacks do not occur in the future."

Click here to send one email that will go to the Human Rights Associate Procurator, Departmental Governor of Suchitepequez, Public Ministry Office Attorney in Suchitepéquez, Deputy Carlos Enrique Bautista Godínez, Presidential Commissioner on Human Rights as well as a copy of your letter to IGLHRC and Colectivo Amigos Contra el SIDA.