Luzhkov claims ban will help stop HIV

Moscow's veteran mayor has claimed his ban on gay rights parades is designed to help halt the spread of HIV/Aids.

Gay rights groups have continually criticised Yuri Luzhkov's stance on their attempts to stage marches and have even mounted legal challenges to the prohibition, but the 72-year-old politician insisted there was good reason for it.

In remarks reported by RIA Novosti, Mr Luzhkov told an international HIV/Aids conference that "sexual minorities" could be a factor in the virus's spread, which has seen around 30,000 people in the Russian capital infected.

Due to this city authorities will continue to ban the "propaganda of sexual minorities' opinions", he added, even if other societies disagreed with the stance.

His comments came despite figures compiled by UNAIDS showing that fewer than one per cent of homosexuals in Moscow are infected.

Mr Luzhkov also revealed he was not convinced by all the advice about preventing the transmission of HIV/Aids.

"Certain manufacturers state that condoms are reliable protection against Aids, but modern science has proven this is untrue," he claimed.

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