Amnesty Urges Bosnia To Protect Gay Festival

Death threats have been issued on Internet against individual gay rights activists.

Amnesty International on Thursday urged authorities to safeguard Bosnia's first gay festival from possible violence from Muslims who see it as an affront to their religious feelings.

The festival, due to take place in Sarajevo next week during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, has been branded by some Islamic media and officials as a "festival of homosexuality", which is regarded as a sin and disease in Islam.

The human rights watchdog said in a statement some media had mounted a homophobic campaign which had encouraged prejudice and could lead to violence.

"Many publications...called for the organisers of the festival to be lynched, stoned, doused with petrol or expelled from the country. Death threats have been issued on Internet against individual gay rights activists," it said.

Bosnian authorities must protect the right of lesbian and gay people to gather and express their views freely, Amnesty said.

As in most of the Balkans, there is little tolerance for homosexuality in Bosnia, where for many it remains taboo although the government has signed international treaties on civil rights and passed a law against sexual discrimination.

Organisers said the festival coincides with Ramadan unintentionally and it will go ahead despite the threats.