MEXICO CITY (AP)

Mexico City’s prison system has begun allowing gay conjugal visits, bowing to a recommendation by the country’s National Human Rights Commission.

Despite opposition from conservatives and religious organizations, the city’s leftist government has taken a series of controversial stands in recent months on social issues like abortion, gay marriage and prostitution.

In many Mexican prisons, special rooms are set aside for conjugal visits and, at most of them, the visitor is not required to be married to the inmate.

The decision to allow the visits was prompted by a complaint filed by a gay man after he was denied a conjugal visit with his companion.