LONDON, August 11  –  Over 100 people protested outside the Iranian Embassy in London today – coinciding with simultaneous US and European protests against Iran’s “tyrannical, homophobic, misogynistic and fundamentalist regime.”

“We condemn the execution of two teenage boys in Iran on charges involving homosexual acts,” said protester Aaron Saeed, Muslim affairs spokesperson of the LGBT human rights group OutRage!, which coordinated today’s demo.

“One of them was a minor at the time of his execution; both were minors when they committed their offences.  OutRage! urges an end to the death penalty.  We express our solidarity with Iranians campaigning for democracy and human rights.”

The London protest was one of five simultaneous international demonstrations.  The others were in Dublin, San Francisco, Paris and Montpelier.  These protests were against Iran’s use of the death penalty and its persecution of lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

“Among the London protesters were members of LGBT, socialist and human rights groups, and Iranian left-wingers, exiles and asylum seekers; including an Iranian woman whose 16 year old brother was executed and his body dragged through the streets,” added Mr. Saeed.

Ramzi Isalam, also from the LGBT human rights group OutRage!, pointed out that there were differing versions of why the executions were carried out.

“Some reports say the youths were hanged for gay sex.  The Iranian government claims they were hanged for the rape of a 13 year old boy,” he said.

“We are not prepared to give the violently homophobic Iranian government the benefit of the doubt.  It has previously lied to justify public executions.  In any case, the death penalty is a disproportionate punishment.  It is barbaric and should be abolished,” added Mr Isalam.

11:00 (UK) July 27: Executed Gay Iranian Teens: London Embassy Protest Set.  A London protest over the execution of two gay teenagers in Iran has been arranged by gay human rights group Outrage! for Thursday August 11 outside the Iranian Embassy in Prince’s Gate, SW7.  Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni were publicly executed by hanging last week in Mashhad, north east Iran on, July 19.

15:00 (UK) July 27: Iran and USA Account for 78% of World’s Child Executions.  The use of the death penalty against child offenders – people under 18 at the time of the crime – is prohibited under international law, yet a handful of countries still persist with child executions, says Amnesty International.  

15:00 (UK) July 28: Flaws In Blade Report of 'Gay' Executions in Iran, Outrage! Says.  News reports in the US Washington Blade and New York Blade newspapers on the execution of two teens in Iran are flawed, according to the British LGBT human rights group OutRage!, which helped break the story to the international media and human rights groups.

August 1:  Gay Media's Failure to Accurately Report Adds to Growing Hatred Towards Islamic World.  Op-Ed by Faisal Alam.  In the wake of the recent London bombings, the Western world has been propelled into another vicious cycle of revenge against Muslims and the Islamic world.  While mainstream media around the world have more accurately represented the outpouring of condemnation by Muslim organizations and institutions against the attacks in London, the gay and lesbian media in the U.S. has unfortunately succumbed once again to the false belief that Islam condones acts of violence including suicide bombings, executions of civilians and even the killing of homosexuals.

August 10:   Five-City Protest Against Iran Executions of Gay Teens.  Dublin, London, Paris, Montpelier and San Francisco Stage Protests Tomorrow.