IRAN
Iran: Gay Amir, Aged 22, Given 100 Lashes
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Apathy of gay, left and
human rights groups condemned |
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See Also
(the Press Statement from PGLO (Persian Gays & Lesbians Organisation)
Holding Iran
Accountable for Violating Gay
Op-Ed by Paula Ettelbrick,
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LONDON, September 20 – The bruised and bloodied body of a 22 year old gay Iranian, Amir, bears further witness to the brutality of the Ayatollah’s regime. Yet many gay and human rights groups in “the West” are sweeping the matter under the carpet, Outrage! suggests. Amir escaped Iran after the authorities threatened him with execution for being gay – but not before he was subjected to the barbarism of 100 lashes, which left his back covered in huge bloody welts. A copy of Amir’s story, together with photos of his savage injuries, has been sent to the British LGBT human rights group OutRage! by Iranian LGBT activists. “This is a further example of the violent homophobia of the Iran’s Islamic fundamentalist regime,” fumed Brett Lock of OutRage! “OutRage! is appalled that large sections of liberal and left opinion in the West shows little concern regarding the murderous brutality of the clerical fascist regime in Tehran.” “We deplore the gullibility of many gay, left and human rights groups concerning the abuse of LGBT human rights in Iran. “Too many are willing to believe the smears and slurs of the Iranian government and state-approved newspapers like Qods. “When two young men were executed for same-sex acts in the Iranian city of Mashad in July, some left and human rights organisations accepted at face value claims by the state-controlled media that the youths were hanged for rape. “Similar gullibility has been shown by some left-wingers. They have long swallowed Iran's homophobic propaganda. “Believing the stories in Iran’s state-sanctioned media is like accepting the news as reported by the press in Franco’s Spain or Pinochet’s Chile. “Where are the left-wing campaigns in western countries to support the freedom struggles of Iranian LGBTs, women, democrats, socialists and workers,” Lock asked? LINKS
Outrage!
website |
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Posted: 20 September 2005