Human Rights
Watch: Police Abuses, Bad Policies Fueling AIDS
Epidemic

Human rights activists say police abuses and official policies are aggravating the AIDS epidemic.

About 400 organizations say police in several nations use antiprostitution laws to routinely extort sexual favors from sex workers.

They also say officers confiscate condoms from AIDS outreach workers and then charge them with prostitution or sodomy.

Many nations still ban needle-exchange programs, even though drug users account for one third of all new HIV infections outside of Africa.

Human Rights Watch's Jose Miguel Vivanco said Tuesday that governments must end such abuses or face a growing number of AIDS cases.

Mexico City will host next month's International AIDS Conference. (AP)