The European Commission on Human Rights said last week that Britain's unequal age of consent violates European law and referred a case brought by gay-youth activist Euan Sutherland to the European Court of Human Rights for a final ruling.

Straight sex is legal in Britain at age 16 while gay sex is banned until age 18.

The British government responded with an agreement to stop fighting the case (and another one brought by activist Chris Morris) and called for a free vote in Parliament (meaning MPs can buck the party line) on bringing the laws into synch.

Both youths alleged violation of privacy and anti-discrimination provisions of the 1952 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

"There is no objective and reasonable justification for the maintenance of a higher minimum age of consent to male homosexual, than to heterosexual, acts," the commission said. "The application discloses discriminatory treatment in the exercise of the applicant's right to respect for private life under Article 8 of the Convention."

The European Court of Human Rights, located in Strasbourg, France, is the judicial organ of the Council of Europe, a grouping of 40 nations pledged to uphold human rights and cooperate in a variety of spheres of activity.

GUATEMALAN AIDS ACTIVIST MURDERED

Transgendered AIDS activist Luis Palencia (a/k/a Maria Conchita Alonso) was gunned down in Guatemala City Oct. 2.

"Some men in a white pick-up passed by the corner where he worked [as a prostitute], 30 meters from the door of our office, and shot him in the stomach, causing almost instant death," said Ruben Mayorga, executive director of OASIS, the Integral Sexuality AIDS Support Organization.

"His death is a reflection of unchecked machismo, profound homophobia and the widespread disrespect for fundamental human rights that holds sway in Guatemala and continues snuffing out innumerable lives," added OASIS press spokeswoman Laura Asturias.

OASIS urges e-mail protests to Guatemalan President Alvaro Arzu at AlvaroArzu@guate.net, Presidential Human Rights Commission head Marta Altolaguirre at copredeh@guate.net, the United Nations Guatemalan Mission for Peace Accords Verification at minugua@guate.net, the Archbishop of Guatemala's Human Rights Office at odhagua@pronet.net.gt and Amnesty International at amnestyis@amnesty.org.

BRAZILIAN LESBIANS HOLD NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Fifty delegates from across Brazil converged on Salvador in Bahia state Sept. 25-29 for the Second National Lesbian Conference.

"The highlight of the conference for me was the high degree of maturity Brazilian lesbians showed in their debates and in the respectful way they had to deal with their differences," said Argentine activist Alejandra Sarda, who attended the gathering in her role as women's secretary of the International Lesbian and Gay Association. "Their level of commitment, analysis and visibility is outstanding and moving."

Financial support from the Bahia Health Ministry funded scholarships for women nationwide.

Cultural activities included presentation of original videos and lesbian puppet theater.

Rex Wockner's weekly International News dating back to mid-1994 is fully searchable at http://www.wockner.com