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| - The UN's AIDS programme voiced deep concern Friday about "ongoing and intensifying persecution" of LGBTI people in Poland and urged Warsaw to protect their rights. "UNAIDS is deeply concerned by reports of the targeting and arrest of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex rights activists as they peacefully exercise their rights to freedom of expression and association, as well as reports of discrimination, repression, and scapegoating of LGBTI people," it said in a statement. UNAIDS, the Geneva-based Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, called on Warsaw to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of LGBTI people. "UNAIDS is concerned by the ongoing and intensifying persecution of LGBTI people in Poland, including the encouragement of so-called 'LGBT ideology-free zones' throughout the country over the last year and up to recent mounting crackdowns on human rights defenders exercising their fundamental human rights to advocate for an end to discrimination," it said. Homophobia is still widespread in the devout Catholic country whose right-wing governing Law and Justice party has repeatedly used anti-gay rhetoric, including in the run-up to last month's presidential election. President Andrzej Duda campaigned against what he calls "LGBT ideology", likening it to communism. Thousands of people protested across Poland on Saturday waving rainbow flags, a day after a gay rights activist was taken into custody for two months of pre-trial detention. About 50 demonstrators were also detained as the activist, who identifies as a woman named Margot, was taken away in Warsaw following a controversial court order. "The actions in Poland limit freedom of speech and, when combined with discriminatory application that targets human rights defenders, undermine equality, the rule of law and people's access to essential services," said UNAIDS. rjm/jg/txw
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