Sri Lankan authorities whipped six men with wires before giving them an ‘anal probe’ test – a form of torture. Forced anal exams are still common in many countries.
Doctors breach medical ethics to probe people’s anus with their fingers or a tool. They believe the shape or ‘tone’ of the anus will reveal whether the person has had anal sex.
However, the tests have no scientific basis, having originated in nonsense medical theory from the 1800s. Moreover, they are a cruel, degrading form of torture and a breach of international law.
Despite that, Human Rights Watch and Sri Lankan LGBT+ group Equal Ground today reveals they are still going on. A lawyer revealed he had defended six men in the last 12 months accused of gay sex.