Malaysian police target gay people in Saturday afternoon raids
More than 70 men were arrested in a series of raids by police in Malaysia.
It is reported that Chinese, US and European citizens are among them.
A massage parlour and health club were targeted along with two other properties by anti-vice police on Saturday afternoon.
They were hosting “sex parties” according to local press reports, and porn magazines, DVDs, condoms and lubricant were siezed.
“The case had been classified as an act of gross indecency under Section 377D of the Penal Code,” Deputy state CID chief Supt Nashir Ya said.
Homosexuality is not specified as a crime in Malaysia, but Section 377 of the penal code prohibits sodomy, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The same law is still in force in other former British colonies, such as India and Singapore.
There is also a prohibition on “gross indecency with another male person,” with up to two years in prison for those found guilty.
