Fiji church stopped from marching against gays

Fiji authorities have refused the nation's powerful Methodist Church permission to hold a protest march against homosexuality.

After seeking legal advice, the government official responsible for approving public marches rejected the church's application on grounds it would encourage discrimination against the gay community.

The rally was planned in response to the South Pacific country's High Court upholding an appeal by an Australian tourist and a Fiji man against a gay sex conviction on constitutional grounds.

Fiji's public prosecutor has appealed that decision with the support of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, who believes homosexuality is sinful.

The Fiji Human Rights Commission had threatened to take legal action against the authorities if the rally went ahead.

The march planned for November 19 would have been the church's second this year against homosexuality.

"They have already been given the opportunity to express their wishes on June 26 via a protest march and to hold another one would be unconstitutional," news website Fijilive quoted commissioner central Inoke Devo as saying.

Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes welcomed the decision because of concerns about crowd numbers anticipated to be around 3000.

Homosexual acts are outlawed under Fiji's penal code but its constitution contains guarantees of privacy and equality.

The Methodist Church has about 200,000 members in Fiji, nearly a quarter of the population.

It wants the constitution altered to rule out same-sex relationships.

- AAP