Few will forget Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's response during an appearance at Columbia University on September 24, 2007, when asked about the persecution of homosexuals in Iran.
"In Iran, we don't have homosexuals like in your country," said Ahmadinejad. "We don't have that in our country. In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have it."
Although Ahmadinejad skirted the question, several human rights groups and the United Nations have documented that in the Islamic Republic of Iran, homosexuality is punishable by death. Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, many executions have been reported, as well as countless cases of torture and abuse. However, according to Arsham Parsi, a gay refugee from Iran and founder of the Iranian Queer Railroard, an organization that assists queer Iranians in finding asylum in the West, this persecution goes beyond the government.
"It's not all about government, it's mostly about society and culture," he said. "Families will not accept [homosexuals]. The government may have the death penalty, but society is not educated about diversity, not about religion, or cultures. The government does not create a safe space for queers, and there can be honour killings."
Parsi provided a specific example to illustrate this point.
"In the city of Rasht, a father burned his 18-year-old son to death when he found out he was gay," Parsi said. "It's killing just to save the family's honour, and the Ministry of Justice won't do anything."
Parsi, like many other gay refugees, fled Iran for fear of losing his life. While in Iran, Parsi was doing advocacy work in the queer community, including building support groups for gays and lesbians and aiding in HIV-related studies. Such advocacy work, although done in secret, is still watched closely by the Iranian government, an Islamic theocracy. As a result of growing concern for his safety, Parsi left Iran and registered as a refugee at the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Ankara. Many gay refugees fleeing Iran end up in countries such as Turkey, Pakistan, and India before the commissioner accepts their cases. This process can take years, and is often a traumatic experience for gay refugees leaving Iran.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
PJ
posted 2/17/09 @ 6:51 PM EST
I wonder when the violation of human rights of gay students in the Middle East and Iran will be brought to the GA?
Post a Comment