A lesbian denied custody of her three children by Chile’s Supreme Court has taken her case to the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The Chilean court ruled in 2004 that Judge Karen Atala’s lesbian life created for her daughters “a situation of risk” whose “pernicious consequences” would “damage their psychic development” and make them “objects of social discrimination,” according to a New York Times translation.

The commission accepted the case and Atala’s lawyer, Macarena Sáez, told the Times she will argue that “due process was not respected, [Atala’s] right to privacy was violated when courts had her computers searched looking for evidence of strange behavior, and the right of her children to be heard, which is binding in Chile, was completely set aside.”

If Atala wins, it will set precedent in several Latin American nations whose constitutions stipulate that rulings by the Inter-American system override those of their own courts.

Chilean activists believe the stage is set for progress on gay causes under new president Michelle Bachelet, a socialist, feminist, single mother and former health minister who oversaw AIDS programs.

The Indian government’s National AIDS Control Organization on July 20 urged repeal of a law that criminalizes gay sex, saying it impedes efforts to slow HIV transmission.

The organization filed a petition with the Delhi High Court, to which the Supreme Court recently remanded a case seeking to overturn the sodomy ban.

“The fear of harassment by law enforcement agencies leads to sex being hurried, leaving partners without the notion to consider safer sex practices,” the agency said.

The Delhi court previously dismissed the case on a technicality, claiming the plaintiff, the AIDS organization Naz Foundation, lacked standing to bring suit because Naz had not been injured by the ban. The court also said homosexuality is an “unnatural offence” opposed by Indian society.

The Supreme Court ordered the lower court to reconsider the case on its merits and rule on the constitutionality of Penal Code Section 377, which punishes “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” with up to 10 years in prison.

The second effort to stage a Pride parade in Riga, Latvia, was an unmitigated disaster July 22.

The City Council and a court banned the parade, claiming police wouldn’t be able to protect marchers from marauding homophobic mobs. So activists instead staged a religious service at a church and meetings at a hotel. But the homophobes were not deterred by the change in plans.

Scores of anti-gay protesters gathered outside the Anglican church and flung human excrement, eggs and rotten food at gays and lesbians as they left the building.

“I was hit with a bag full of shit and had to go wash up,” said the Rev. Maris Sants.

“Protesters threw human excrement on us,” said the Rev. Juris Calitis. “I was covered with it from head to foot. It was quite smelly.”

“Worshippers were pelted with shit and rotten fruit,” said British participant Peter Tatchell. “Despite previously requesting police protection, no police were present to protect the congregation.”

Activist meetings later in the day at the posh Reval Hotel met a similar fate, attracting hundreds of anti-gay demonstrators.

Reports said 14 protesters were arrested during the various confrontations.

Latvia’s prime minister, Aigars Kalvitis, and president, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, disagreed with the City Council and the Regional Administrative Court, and had urged that the parade be permitted.

On July 24, the Pride organizing group, Mozaika, announced plans to “sue the City of Riga in the European Court of Human Rights for banning the march.”

“The presidency of the European Union is now held by Finland, which will put the Riga Pride events at the top of a list of discussions at a meeting of European Ministers of Justice next week,” spokesperson Laris Grava said in a press release. “We expect severe condemnation of the government of Latvia from other European governments.”

Despite the recent disasters when gays and lesbians tried to stage Pride parades in Russia and Latvia, everything looks good to go for Estonia’s third Pride parade and festival in Tallinn Aug. 7-13.

“Estonia has proven to be the most tolerant of the three Baltic states [Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania], the Pride marches have never been banned nor has there been any acts of violence or public hate speech from politicians,” said Lisette Kampus, publicist for Tallinn Pride 2006.

This June, Estonia’s Parliament increased protections for GLBT people. In a 62-18 vote, lawmakers criminalized human-rights violations, unfair advantages and incitement of hatred, violence or discrimination based on, among other things, sexual orientation. Violators face a fine or jail sentence.

The author of the amendments said Estonia was lagging behind other European nations in protecting gays and lesbians. “Now homophobia has been criminalized here as well,” said People’s Union MP Jaak Allik.

A same-sex registered-partnership law came into force July 23 in Slovenia, a country formed from the former Yugoslavia, Belgrade’s B92 radio reported.

Gay groups welcomed the law but criticized it for not granting full marriage rights. They also said it’s unacceptable that the ceremonies must take place only in a government office and only with the two partners and the registrar present. No one else is allowed to attend.

Couples must apply for registration 30 days in advance and prove they are single, healthy and mentally stable.

Assistance: Bill Kelley