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BLANTYRE (Reuters) - Rights groups in Malawi on Tuesday called for a referendum on legalising homosexuality, following the arrest last week of the first gay couple to wed in the conservative southern African state.

A Malawi court on Monday denied bail to the two men who were arrested on charges of public indecency over the symbolic traditional wedding in a country where homosexuality is illegal.

Magistrate Usiwausiwa said the ruling was meant to protect the men because "the public out there is angry with them".

On Tuesday the Centre for Development of People (Cedep), which works with homosexuals, said Malawi should hold a referendum to express the country's views on the issue.

"We cannot run away from the fact that we have homosexuals in our midst," said Cedep Executive Director Gift Trapeze.

"We need to rest this debate once and for all and we can do this through consensus," he added in a call backed by civil rights group Justice Link.

Police said the two men had been taken for medical tests to prove whether they had intercourse. They face a maximum prison sentence of 14 years if convicted.