REPORT: 4 IRANIANS TO HANG FOR GAY SEX
There are reports that four Iranian men’s death sentences have been upheld and that they will shortly hang for having had gay sex.
According to the Human Rights Activist News Agency in Iran, the men’s death sentences for sodomy under Sharia law have been confirmed by high court judges.
The men have been named as Saadat Arefi, Vahid Akbari, Javid Akbari and Houshmand Akbari. They are believed to be from the town of Choram, in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province of Iran.
While it’s not clear when the executions will take place, they are said to be imminent.
London based Iranian Human Rights Lawyer, Mehri Jafari commented: “I am horrified and saddened to have heard the news about these four men. Not only with regards to the execution which is about to take place, but the fact that is beyond our control.”
She went on to say: “There are two important issues in this case; the location of the alleged occurrence and the interpretation of the Sharia’ law that a Hodud (strict Sharia punishment) is eminent. Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad is one of the most undeveloped provinces in Iran and it is obvious that a lack of access to lawyers and fair trial can be considered a serious issue in this case.
“After this announcement it is very likely that the execution will be carried out soon, and the remote location makes it difficult to exert any influence on the process.”
LGBTQ Nation quoted a gay activist based in Iran as saying that a number of other men have been hanged for similar “crimes” in the past five months.
Human rights activists have claimed that between 4,000 and 6,000 gay men and lesbians had been executed in Iran since 1979 for crimes related to their sexual preference.
Always be grateful u are born in South Africa and u are able to be freely gay…Its hard for some other people out there.
Why only SA ?
Horror story.
Im with Acappella on this one. The protest that’s happening this week is to make sure we don’t end up like Iran. What I don’t get is that people r being so savage in the name of God, according to thier beliefs. Last I checked God is love n hanging people ain’t love. According to this article we don’t even know if they actually buggered each other.
This is an important reminder that having gay rights where we live is not enough, as so many people around the world still need our support.
This is reality of life not every country is as liberal as South Africa- proud to be a South African
Thank god for our freedom in South Africa and other places. Something not to be taken for granted. May something be done to save these men before they are hanged. I think people are so stuck in religious law and dogma that they are actually dead inside and can therefore condone such sentences.
why do they do such things they are also people god said that we must love oneanother