movieguy Posted August 11, 2005 Report Posted August 11, 2005 Protests Condemn Iran's Treatment Of Gays by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff Posted: August 10, 2005 8:00 pm ET (San Francisco, California) Gay activists will protest against the treatment of gays in Iran on Thursday in five US and European cities. The demonstrations were called in light of reports two gay teens were executed. Details of the trial and execution are mired in controversy with some civil rights groups arguing the teens were hanged because they were gay and others agreeing with government reports that they had raped a younger teen. In an August 3 story, 365Gay.com Editor-At-Large Rex Wockner noted that the full story will likely never be known. (story) One of the protest organizers, the British group OutRage, maintains they were executed because of their sexuality. “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,” said OutRage spokesperson Ramzi Isalam. The Iranian government has executed 4,000 homosexuals since 1979, according to estimates in the mid-1990s by the exiled Iranian gay rights group, Homan. The demonstrations Thursday will take place in San Francisco, Montpelier, Dublin, London and Paris. ©365Gay.com 2005 links
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.