SINGAPORE: Three men have failed in their challenges against Section 377A of the penal code, after a High Court judge dismissed their court actions against the law that criminalises sex between men on Monday (Mar 30).

In a case summary released by the court, Justice See Kee Oon rejected arguments that the law is unconstitutional, and defended the decision not to pro-actively enforce Section 377A.

He said that Section 377A "serves the purpose of safeguarding public morality by showing societal moral disapproval of male homosexual acts". It cannot be said to be redundant simply because of its non-enforcement, he added.

According to Section 377A of the Penal Code, any man who commits any act of gross indecency with another man in public or in private can be jailed for up to two years. This extends to any man who abets such an act, procures or attempts to procure such an act.

The verdict was delivered in chambers, four months after arguments were made by the lawyers for the three men: Disc jockey Johnson Ong Ming, retired general practitioner Roy Tan Seng Kee and Bryan Choong Chee Hoong, the former executive director of LGBT non-profit organisation Oogachaga.

Mr Choong said in a statement that he is "of course disappointed", but said his eyes "are firmly on the road ahead". Read more via Channel News Asia