Gay rights group visits Ombudsman over discrimination policies

Panama’sGay rights group AHMNP has lodged a report with the Office of the Ombudsman alleging a stagnation in the promotion of anti-discriminatory policies.

The report deals with human rights and also claims discrimination by the National Police.
Ricardo Beteta, President of the AHMNP, said that the Ministry of Health has stopped promoting AIDS awareness campaigns, which has led to a marked increase in the number of cases.
Some 23 percent of gay men living in Panama have AIDS, an increase of 10 percent compared to a decade ago.
 Beteta denounced discriminatory laws that allow people to be arrested and sanctioned for practicing "lesbianism or homosexuality.