Three Men Executed for Sodomy in Iran
 |
September 8, 2011 TheFreshOutlook  |
The execution of three men for sodomy in Iran this weekend sheds light on the country’s official persecution of homosexuality.
Three men convicted of sodomy were executed in the Iranian Province of Khuzestan on Sunday.
The case is significant in revealing the official persecution of homosexuals by the Iranian judiciary, which adheres to a strict interpretation of Sharia law.
Mahmood Amiry Moghaddam, a spokesperson for Iran Human Rights told The Fresh Outlook: “Iranian authorities have very often charged these individuals with rape along with sodomy or charged them with ambiguous terms such as ‘acts against the chastity’,” which shows the uniqueness of Sunday’s convictions.
This links with speculation that these rulings are designed by the Iranian legal system to make rulings against homosexuality more acceptable for the international community.
But in the case of the recent executions, reference is made to articles 108 and 110 of the Iranian penal code. Article 108 outlines the definition of sodomy under Iranian interpretation of Sharia law and 110 dictates that the punishment for lavat (sodomy) is death.
Mr Amiry Moghaddam explained the severity of the sentences: “All these punishments are effective tools to spread fear among the people. In a young society where more than half of the population is under 30 years of age, the demands for change are increasing, and spreading fear in the society is one of the most important tools the Iranian regime has.”
He went on to stress the significance of how sodomy is verified in Iranian law by “either four confessions from those charged, or four adult witnesses”, adding: “Many of such convictions are made based on the judge’s knowledge.”
Six men were executed overall, the three other men were convicted for crimes of rape, robbery and drug trafficking.
Prominent Iranian Human Rights Lawyer, Mohammed Mustafaei, now exiled in Norway, reportedly called the execution arbitrary. He enquired: “Were the cases approved by the Supreme Court and given a hearing as well as permission for execution?” He added: “Were the three represented by lawyers, and what are their names?” in a letter to President Ahmadinejad.
Official figures suggest that more than 180 people have been put to death this year in Iran, making the country one of the world’s greatest users of capital punishment.
Ahvaz has a particularly high rate of executions as the city receives many prisoners from the rest of the country and also is challenged by the authority’s persecution of the Arab community, who form a big minority group in the capital.
By Gwen Smith
[Image provided by vambo25]
