Report: Iran Executes Another Gay Man

365gay.com:

Posted: August 22, 2005 12:01 am ET

by Malcolm Thornberry 365Gay.com European Bureau Chief

(London) Another gay man has been executed in Iran - the third in the past month - a British newspaper reports.

The Observer reports that it has been been informed by underground Iranian activists that the latest execution occurred in the city of Arak on August 16. On July 19 two gay teenagers were executed in the northeastern city of Mashhad. (story) The hangings sparked international outrage.

The Iranian government maintains the teens had raped a 13 year old boy - an allegation that many international rights groups discount.

Last week Iran activists said that two more young Iranian men have been sentenced to die on August 27 after having been convicted by a Sharia or Islamic court for alleged homosexual intercourse and "rape". The reports cannot be independently verified.

The exiled Iranian gay rights group, Homan, claims the Iranian government has executed at least 4,000 gays since 1979.

Several European countries halted extraditions of Iranian gays back to country following the executions. But, both the US and Britain have been silent on the issue. In London, gay rights activists are fighting the extradition of a gay man to Iran. The man, whose identity has not been revealed, told a court that he fled the country after a gay friend was arrested. The court was told that in making the arrest Iranian police seized a video of the pair kissing.

But, Judge John Freeman ruled that there was no evidence the video existed and that the man's removal would not put him at risk on his return.

In his written ruling Freeman refers to man as "engaging in buggery" and describes his sexuality as a "predilection".

LGBT civil rights groups Stonewall and OutRage are demanding the man be given asylum.

Stonewall has written to Home Secretary Charles Clark urging him to intervene in the case. In its letter Stonewall said that Freeman's language could raise fears parts of the judiciary were "institutionally homophobic".

Over the past two years at least two gay asylum seekers facing extradition back to Iran have committed suicide.