Tuesday, April 7, 2009
URGENT - Iraq: Letter From a Member of Iraqi LGBT who Pleads for Help “Before It’s Too Late”
Photo of the action in San Francisco, April 6, 2009, Activists Protest Recent Slayings Of Gay Men In Iraq, Fox Reno Com Member of Iraqi Gay Group Pleads for Help “Before It’s Too Late”, ukgaynews.org.uk
Is there anyone to help me before it's too late? That is the question asked by a member of Iraqi-LGBT in Baghdad, who says he is to be executed, in a letter released at the weekend by Iraqi-LGBT in London.
The handwritten letter in Arabic was received by the group in London last week, the writer claiming that he has received the death sentence for belonging to Iraqi-LGBT – a banned organisation in the country.
Releasing the letter to UK Gay News, Iraqi-LGBT requested independent translation – and this was done by two separate translators in the USA.
"We are confident that the letter is genuine," Ali Hili said, adding that the name on the letter is known to him.
"I have known this person for the past 18 months," he said.
"At the moment, we think that there are five gays among the 128 people who are reported to be awaiting execution," Mr. Hili said.
And he added that while the Ministry of Interior is officially denying that there are five people sentenced to death for having contact with Iraqi-LGBT, he has spoken to someone in the Ministry who has confirmed the five death sentences.
In the letter released by Iraqi-LGBT in London, the writer claims that at his court case he was not permitted to defend himself, or even get legal representation.
It is virtually impossible to check on the authenticity of the letter, which translated into English, with names and an address removed, says:
Call for help.
"My name is [name and address removed], Baghdad, Iraq.
I was detained at my residence December 15, 2008 after midnight, by the Ministry of Interior.
During the detention process, they hit me on the head and my rear end to make me confess that I am a member of the Iraqi-LGBT.
Later on the Ministry of Interior transferred me to the criminal justice court in al Karkh, and after a short trial I was sentenced to death.
I was sentenced without given the chance to defend myself or to hire an attorney. Two days later I was returned to the same place and was told that the execution will take place in two weeks.
Please pass this message to [my friend] in London. I just wish to tell him not to forget about my mother and siblings, I was their only supporter.
I am all hopeful that Allah will show Iraqis a life with no death sentences.
And lastly, I ask you for help.
Is there anyone to help me before it is too late?"
See also: Iraq execution: Is there anyone to help me before it’s too late? LGBT Asylum News
See also previous posts:
- San Francisco Gays Protest 6 Gay Iraqi Murders - April 6, 5 PM, Harvey Milk Plaza
- Iraq: Six Gay Men Murdered in Iraqi Slum
- URGENT: Stop Executions of Gay Iraqis - Members of Iraqi LGBT Group on Death Row - Action Needed to Halt Judicial Executions
- Iraq’s Queer Underground Railroad: A Secret Network of Safe Houses and Escape Routes Is Saving Gay Iraqis From Execution by Islamist Death Squads
- Iraq’s Underground Queer Railroad - Safe Houses and Escape Routes Save LGBT Lives by Peter Tatchell
- UK: Queer Fear 2 - The Sexual Cleansing of Iraq - Film Screening November 3rd 2008
- Sexual Cleansing in Iraq: Bashar, Coordinator of Iraqi LGBT in Baghdad Assassinated - Islamist Death Squads Are Hunting Down Gay Iraqis and Summarily Executing Them
- Iraq: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Do Kill - Newsweek’s Inquiry About Gays Persecuted
- Iraq: Out of the Gathering Darkness - Two Iraqi Lesbians, Amal and Zahra, Shot Dead and Decapitated
- U.S. Invasion Has Made Life Worse for Iraqi LGBT Community
- New York: Benefit Party for Iraqi LGBT at the North Star Fund
- Iraqi LGBT Have Recently Obtained New Video Evidence
- New Disappearances of Gay People in Iraq
- Treatment of LGBT People In Iraq by Police
- From Iran to New Iraq, Ayatollahs Are Murderers of Homosexuals: Massive Crimes Against Humanity Are Committed by the Pro-Iranian Iraqi Government Installed by the Amerikan Occupation and Its Sectarian Militias
- Three Iraq Safe Houses Forced to Close
- IRAQI LGBT: SAFE HOUSE CAMPAIGN
Russia: Ryazan Court Finds Nikolai Baev and Irina Fet, Gay Activists, Guilty of Popularizing Homosexuality
Photo: Irina Fet, Daniil Goodwin and Nikolai Baevby Nicolas Alexeyev
A court in Ryazan has found the organizers of two public events protesting homophobia guilty of popularizing homosexuality and ruled they be fined 1,500 rubles each (34 Eur).
Nikolay Bayev and Irina Fet were found guilty of popularizing homosexuality among minors and the court ruled to fine them 1,500 rubles each, an organizer of the Moscow gay parade Nikolay Alexeyev told Interfax.
On March 30, the gay activists staged public event demonstrating posters reading, “Homosexuality is normal” and “I am proud of my homosexuality”.The judge ordered the posters be destroyed.
Sexual minorities held their rallies near schools and near a regional children's library, the court said.
"We will now file a complaint with the
