Campaign to stop Iran executions
An international campaign has been launched to end the death penalty in Iran.
Iran has carried out thousands of executions since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with men who have sex with men one of the largest groups targeted.
Other victim groups include women who are often executed for adultery. In the past, people have been given death sentences for heresy for criticising the country’s clerical rule, converting to other religions or following non-orthodox interpretations of Islam.
Nine opposition activists are on death row for taking part in protests after last June’s disputed election, while another 10 men and youths await execution on sodomy charges.
Thanks to efforts by Iranian women’s groups and international condemnation, Iran has largely given up the practice of stoning people to death, but hanging is still commonplace, and firing squads are sometimes used.
The most recent Amnesty International investigation into human rights abuses in Iran counted 346 executions in 2008 — 133 of those executed were juvenile offenders.
The 346 No Execution Campaign takes its name from that figure, although the campaign’s communications director believes this to be a conservative estimate.
“The unofficial number is likely much higher,” Iranian Homosexual Human Rights Councils communications director Arsham Parsi said.
“Iran must stop taking innocent lives in such cavalier, arbitrary and brutal ways. Our campaign’s mission is to petition member governments to apply diplomatic pressure on Iran to cease and desist with these barbaric and unjust executions.”
Campaign organisers hope to get at least 346 people in each participating country to write to their foreign ministers to urge their governments to press Iran to abolish the death penalty.
The 346 campaign is being organised by the Iranian Homosexual Human Rights Councils in the USA and Canada, while gay and lesbian group Outrage is the campaign’s UK partner.
Other countries participating include Italy and Germany and the campaign is looking to add partners from other countries.
Sydney activist group Community Action Against Homophobia is considering becoming Australian partners with the project.
info: Visit www.noexecution.com
In 2010, gay male sex is still illegal in Singapore under section 377A “outrages on decency” of the 1867 Penal Code. Now just how stupid is that!!!!!??????
I disagree Paul. There should be a Death Penalty for “Harsher Crimes” e.g Murder, Rape and other brutality. In Australia the laws are so so lax it makes me sick in the stomach. In Singapore you can go for a walk at 3am without anybody provoking you.
I OPPOSE the death penalty in all of its forms. The Death Penalty is an unjust, hypercritical, cruel and barbaric practice!!!!
Gay sex should NOT EVER be a crime or subject of corruption scandals or surveillance by Governments in any shape or form. GET THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF OUR BEDROOMS – THAT MEANS YOU SINGAPORE. The age of sexual consent MUST be the same also FOR ALL. I prefer an age of sexual consent at 18 for every individual, because I personally fell that 16 is far too young since we are living longer anyway. Remember Western Australia’s age of sexual consent set at 21, which was ridiculously far too high for gay men 20 years ago in 1990 when gay sex was made legal, now the age of sexual consent is equal for all at 16 since 2002 in Western Australia.
I also advocate the FULL ABOLISHMENT for the death penalty as well as INCREASING gay rights – all over the world.
In 1984 the death penalty was fully abolished in Australia – with New South Wales being the last state to abolish it. 1984 was also the same year that gay sex between men was made legal – but with an unequal age of sexual consent at 18 (the EQUAL age of consent at 16 came at 2003). To my surprise “Conservative Queensland” was the first to abolish the death penalty in Australia as far back as 1922.
One thing we can do right now is to ensure that you use the rights that these men and women don’t have, and use them wisely. We live amongst people who would support us being punished for our sexuality. Every day, when you encounter homophobia, confront it – lightly, with humour, with defensiveness, with vigour or whatever you want to confront it with. Don’t let it pass. Raise consciousness as much as you can. Remember that the consequences are unlikely to see you hanged, very unlikely.
The horrific photo above was taken at the hanging of 2 young gay iranian men who had sex with other. They were convicted on trumped up charges of child molestation. For God’s sake while we are arguing over the opening of The Imperial or wondering who is doing the midnight show at Mardi Gras our gay brothers( some just kids like in the photo) are being hung from the neck until dead- get involved! Do something !