Iranian Teenagers Hanged for Alleged Gay Relationship

The Iranian regime has stepped up its campaign targeting gays. On July 19, two teenage boys were hanged in the city of Meshad (see photo). And just a few days ago (August 27), two men - Farbod Mostaar and Ahmad Chooka - were allegedly executed for homosexuality in the city of Arak.

The Meshad two teenagers - identified by their initials as M.A. and A.M. - were hanged in Edalat (Justice) Square in Meshhad on the orders of Court No. 19. Several Iranian members of Parliament representing Meshad backed the execution. One, Ali Asgari, said: "Whatever sentence is decreed by an Islamic penal system must be approved, unless proven otherwise... These individuals were corrupt. Their sentence was carried out with the approval of the judiciary and it served them right."

The striking photos documenting the hanging have put a chronic civil rights abuse in Iran (and across the region) on the map, at least temporarily. Consensual homosexual acts are punishable by death in Iran. According to Iranian human rights campaigners, over 4000 lesbians and gay men have been executed since the Ayatollahs seized power in 1979.

Looking at the photograph of the two teenagers crying on their way to being hanged captures the human side of the region's systemic repression. The tears and body-language say more than any commentary can. We pause to stare at the young men and into the face of a system of repression that cannot be met with indifference.

Comments

[dvd]

Today was a complete loss, but oh well. I don't care. So it goes. Nothing going on , but shrug. Not much on my mind these days. Such is life.

[Don't judge unless you are perfect]

Hi, I am responding to Ali, who wrote on July 02, 2006 at 04:04 AM. I will try to be civil, although what I'd like to do is rant, rave, and cuss. Ok, so according to Allah, Gays should be killed eh? That is bull. You know what,do you ever wonder why Allah (GOD, whatever this wonderful maker of everything is called) created such diversity on Earth? Do you ever wonder if he (for all intensive purposes it is well known that GOD is not a he or a she, but I will refer to God as such for simplicity to our human minds)created such differences between us all as a sort of test to see how we'd do? Well, as far as I can tell Iran is failing (at least so far as the killing of homosexuals is concerned). How is it that we humans think we are so paramount that we can just judge one another on such issues, and sentence another to death? You know it's pretty darn hypocritical. I am not going to pretend that I am an expert on Ja'fari Shi'a Islam - I certainly am not; however, I have done extensive reading and am quite aware that homosexuality is not terribly uncommom among some of the most holiest of Muslims of today. I'm not saying you're going to see it everywhere you look, and certainly not hear it talked about, but give me a break. Islam (as it is Commonly interpreted)disjoints, confuses, and has a tendency to alienate the sexes with regards to interacting with each other. It's no wonder that these homosexual interactions occur. Also, and this is my personal view, but I believe that homosexuality as a whole is something a person is born with. There have been many individuals that have committed suicide because of this - that is very sad. I guess what I'm basically saying is geez, just love one another. Just do right by God, Allah....Be good and treat everyone the way they'd want to be treated. It's the golden rule folks. We are humans and we have a tendency to screw things up - just look at history. We are not doing anyone any favors by being super puritanical - in fact, by being puritanical, these individuals are alienating many more people than they are convincing.

Just do right by the Lord (however you may call the Lord), love one another, and be the best person you can be.

God Bless

[Shady]

Iran is not Islam
and there is no punishment in Islam Called Hanging .. in the same time there are some real hard rules to make a death punishment over Muslims in Islam for sexual activities

but for me .. i believe Homosexuality is perfectly wrong .. and must be treated
but fighting it with death penalties is not a solution .. it needs more morals in the society and needs a real movement against such an abnormal acts .

i hope Allah forgive those kids .. and forgive who killed them on his name

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[free willly]

That's horrible! How can they be named people?Killing people is not against religion?

[rajin]

fcuk allah

[imran]

Allah is a fake...................muslims should all be tortured

[Jules]

I'm straight (if that's the politically correct way to say it) and I know only one person who is gay and she couldn't be happier. There's a list going around on the internet, Ten reasons why being gay is (not) wrong...People, please note the obvious sarcasm in some of these quotes: "01. Being gay is not natural. Real people always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning." "05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britney Spears’ 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed." People who love should never be prosecuted and those who kill for any reason whether they think it is justified or not are damned in my opinion.

[Alexander]

Horrific.
I am gay.
I will never go to Iran.
I hope their government falls apart.
I will NEVER respect Islam.

[amoon]

Home

From Iran to England, but from England to where? (September 22, 2008)

By Sabrina Duran

My first contact with Alireza J., a young Iranian guy, was in July this year. I was planning to write an article about the situation of the asylum seekers from Iran in the UK who fled their country because of the threat they suffer from the regime due to their sexuality. Before meeting Alireza in person, we had several chats over the phone. In all occasions he sounded really sad, deeply depressed and hopeless about getting his asylum approved, as he applied for it almost three years ago, when he arrived in England, and despite all the proof he has about the real threat for his life in case he is sent back to Iran, he had his asylum denied twice. When Alireza had his appeal denied by the court (two months after he had arrived in England), he was deprived from the financial support given to all asylum seekers by Home Office (accommodation and some money), and after that he had to live for almost 18 months on the streets, both in London and in Peterborough. Alireza told me that apart from the cold weather, the lack of food and all the basic things one needs to live properly, what he most feel sad for about that time was the fact he prostitute himself: he had sex with few English men for five, ten pounds, to have some money to eat and live.

Alireza told me he had tried to commit suicide several times – he said to hate himself after the prostitution – as he feels his life is worthless. His mother in Iran had set fire on her own body few months ago in a desperate attempt to finish the suffering she has been struggling with since Alireza had to flee Iran. That fact made Alireza even more depressed: he has real difficulties to sleep, to keep his mood up and even to do simple and essential things for a healthy life, such as going out to take a breath and to be in contact with other people. Alireza takes medicines to sleep and to control his depression, and he spends almost his whole days and nights in his bedroom, thinking about his suffering and this whole situation that, for him, seems to never have an end.

Recently, Alireza had to move out from his house in Stoke-on-Trent as his flatmates (all muslins) found out by opening one letter sent to him that he is homosexual. From that day on Alireza had no more peace, having to deal with the jokes that his flatmates used to tell about him. A little bit more than one month ago he moved into a new flat in Liverpool. As he had to register himself with a new GP to carry on taking his medicines, Alireza told the doctor he had suicidal thoughts very often. Immediately he was sent to a mental health hospital – against his will – to be looked after and to not harm himself. He spent almost one month in the hospital. We met each other in person in that occasion and we spent two hours together. He sounded really sad for being in the hospital against his will, with a very vulnerable mood (I could see loads of scars made by himself with knife all over his arms) and in anguish for not knowing if he is going to have or not the asylum. Alireza is a clever, bright and really gentle young man. What most caught my attention at him was the fact he has a deep and clear feeling that his youth is been wasted: he can not go back to his family in Iran (if he does so he will be killed by the regime straight away), he still does not have a legal situation in the UK that allows him to have a healthy social life with a job and professional challenges, he has no clue about how his asylum process is going on, and because of his depressive condition he has no energy to make new friends and to begin a new life in the UK. However, despite all this suffering, Alireza told me he has some moments of relief, and then, during these rare moments, he feels keen to carry on waiting his struggling to come to an end.

if you want to support Alireza please contact us at IRQO.

IRanian Queer Organization – IRQO
PH4-150 Graydon Hall Drive
Toronto, Ontario
M3A 3B3 Canada
www.irqo.net
info@irqo.net
tel: 001-416-548-4171

[dont worry about it]

First off the majority of people posting comments on how gays should be killed can't even speak proper english. Second how can it be ok within a religion to take a life. If in the end "allah" will be the judge, then let it be like that. And I'm sure that its hassel to make people happy, so if your that ignorant to peoples happiness then you yourself should be killed. This is the 21st century, can we get with it...gay people are everywhere, so deal with it and let them be happy.

[josh]

Its things like this that make people hate Muslims and Iranians! How can too boys, yes boys! be killed for whom they love? And also its not their choice to be gay. I am a gay male and i had no choice in the matter believe me, i think it would be a hell of a lot easier to be heterosexual. Its barbarians like these killers and idiotic homophobic people that make this world seem a crazy and sick place!! Its 2009 for Gods sake i think its time for people to grow up and love everyone for who they are not who they love!!

[sally]

This is horrible!
justice gone down the pipe
wheres the freedom to live?

[Jane]

i can't believe it, they are not god to take one life, we all created with different behavior i think beeng gay or lesbian is not their choice but they are created like that, if you are born gay or lesbian you always be gay or lesbian, please leave them alone as long as they wil not harm anybody, i think they did not kill anyone may allah be with them.

[UltimattheW]

Okay, now I'm depressed and the last paragraph definitely made me cry... What the hell is wrong with these people?! It could have been me instead of those guys because I'm gay as well. This is horrifying! I feel like I've lost someone really important to me...

[Carlos Ruiz]

Monsters that they are, poor guys, they are just kids. How can you go to sleep after commiting this barbarian act, only God (or Allah if you prefer) can take your life. Murderers.

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[anonymous]

FUCK ALLAH AND HIS FUCKED UP TEACHINGS

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