LGBT Update: Kiana Firouz Wins Asylum in the UK While Homosexuality in Iran Continues to Draw the Death Penalty

The UK’s policies and practices towards asylum seekers in general have been repeatedly criticized for their abusiveness and inhumanity. Perhaps no group has suffered more discrimination from the UK Border Agency than gay asylum-seekers: a recent report found that 98 percent of gay asylum-seekers are forcibly returned to their home country to a likely fate of death or persecution; 73 percent of those seeking asylum on grounds other than sexual orientation or identity are returned.

The new government recently voted into office in the UK has promised new policy when it comes to gay asylum seekers…

“We will stop the deportation of asylum seekers who have had to leave particular countries because their sexual orientation or gender identification puts them at proven risk of imprisonment, torture or execution.”
Equality Statement by the UK’s new coalition government (original document)

…and has been compelled to put that policy into practice: Paul Canning at LGBT Asylum News reports the breaking news that Kiana Firouz, an Iranian lesbian twice denied asylum in the UK, has finally been granted “leave to remain” in the UK.

It seems that the pressure exerted by gay- and refugee-rights activists has forced the UK to change its abominable policies and practices vis-a-vis gay asylum seekers has come none too soon, especially for Iranians. The latest news from Iran reports that the Islamic Republic continues to hand down death sentences and lashes to gay Iranians, and informally executes people for homosexuality by beating them to death in the Islamic Republic’s prisons:

Three More Possible Death Sentences for Homosexuality in Iran (June 18, 10)

Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees— The Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees (IRQR) recently received reports from Iran regarding three more possible death sentences for homosexuality, one man receiving 74 lashes for his homosexual act, and the murder of a 23 year old bisexual man by the Iranian security forces.

We asked our representative in the city of Sari (the capital of the northern Iranian province of Mazandaran) to find out more. Here is his report:

Reza, 23, and Alireza, 28, are boyfriends who live together in a small rented apartment in Sari. Alireza works at his father’s real estate office. Reza stays at home, as his more outwardly ‘feminine’ behavior attracts homophobic comments from the neighbors. Neither of the men’s families accepts their sexuality or their consequent decision to live together as a loving couple.

On May 27 2010, Iranian security forces raided Reza and Alireza’s apartment and arrested both men along with guests who were visiting. Their computer and personal belongings were confiscated as evidence.

The guests were released by the security forces a few days later after being forced to testify that Reza and Alireza live together as lovers. They say that during their arrest they heard rumors that the police were responding to a complaint by the mens’ families about their sons. Reza and Alireza remain in custody.

Reza and Alireza were sent to the Revolutionary Court of Sari located in Artesh Blvd. We do not know what sentence they received but it is rumored that they have been sentenced to death.

Also in Sari in May 2010, a well known businessman, Hamid, 40, was arrested for having a sexual relationship with a 17 year old man. The arrest took place after Hamid’s wife called the police.

Hamid received 74 lashes. There are some reports that he has also been sentenced to death, but we have been unable to confirm this. There is no news regarding the 17 year old man.

Amir Hossein, 23, known among his friends in Sari for his bisexuality, was arrested by Basij security force while having dinner with his girlfriend. While in the custody of the Iranian security forces, he was beaten to death.

IRQR condemns the arrest, torture and murder of Iranian queers by the Iranian security forces as a breach of internationally recognized human rights and we urge the Iranian government to take action to stop these abuses.

We also ask international organizations, especially Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to support IRQR in conducting further investigations into all of these cases.

Source: Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees

احتمال حکم اعدام برای سه همجنسگرای ایرانی

سازمان دگرباشان ایرانی (IRQR) به تازگی اخباری دریافت کرده است که حاکی از احتمال حکم اعدام برای سه همجنسگرا و قتل یک دوجنسگرا در شهر ساری است. همکار سازمان در ساری اینچنین گزارش می دهد:

رضا، 23 ساله و علیرضا، 28 ساله با هم دوست پسر بودند و در یک آپارتمان اجاره ای کوچک در شهر ساری زندگی می کردند. علیرضا در دفتر معاملات املاکی پدرش کار می کرد و رضا بیشتر در خانه بود زیرا معمولا توسط افراد محله مورد تمسخر و فشار قرار می گرفت. خانواده ی آنها به شدت مخالف گرایش جنسی و ارتباط آنها با هم و به خصوص زندگی مشترکشان بودند.

در ششم خرداد 1389 نیروهای امنیتی به منزل رضا و علیرضا هجوم می آورند و آنها را به اتفاق چند نفر از میهمانشان دستگیر می کنند. همچنین کامپیوتر آنها به همراه چند مدارک شخصی دیگر با هدف یافتن شواهدی دال بر گرایش جنسی آنها مصادره می شود. میهمانان بعد از گذشت چند روز و با شهادت وجود رابطه ی عاشقانه بین رضا و علیرضا آزاد می شوند. همچنین اطلاعاتی از طریق میهمانان به دست آمده است که خانواده ی رضا یا علیرضا از شکایت داشته اند.

رضا و علیرضا به دادگاه انقلاب ساری واقع در بلوار ارتش منتقل می شوند و خبر تایید شده ای از حکم آنها تا به حال به دست نیامده است اما خبرها حاکی از صدور حکم اعدام آنها دارد.

همچنین در خردادماه 1389، حمید، چهل ساله و یکی از افراد سرشناس بازار ساری پس از تماس همسرش با پلیس، به دلیل ارتباط با یک پسر هفده ساله دستگیر می شود. حمید به تحمل 74 ضربه شلاق محکوم می شود و خبرهایی نیز از صدور حکم اعدام او نیز به دست رسیده است اما متاسفانه هیچ خبری از پسر هفده ساله در دسترس نیست.

امیرحسین، 23 ساله که دوستانش او را دوجنسگرا معرفی می کردند در اواسط خرداد ماه 1389 در حالی که با دوست دخترش شام می خورد توسط نیروهای بسیج دستگیر و به پایگاه مقاومت منتقل شد و متاسفانه در اثر ضرب و شتم زیاد در همان مکان جان باخت.

سازمان دگرباشان ایرانی (IRQR) با محکوم کردن دستگیری و شکنجه ی دگرباشان ایرانی توسط نیروهای امنیتی از دولت جمهوری اسلامی ایران می خواهد که به این گونه فشارهای اجتماعی-حقوقی و تجاوز به حقوق فردی افراد خاتمه دهد.

همچنین از سازمان های جهانی به ویژه عفو بین الملل و دیده بان حقوق بشر درخواست می شود که سازمان دگرباشان ایرانی (IRQR) را در انجام تحقیقات تکمیلی یاری کنند.

آرشام پارسی

سازمان دگرباشان ایرانی (IRQR)

Source: Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees