Iran sentences two LGBTI activists to death for “human trafficking”
The judicial authorities of Iran have confirmed this Monday the sentence to death by hanging of two people for trafficking in women. However, as reported by the NGO Hengaw, the damned, Zahra Sediqi Hamedani, of 31 years, and elham chubdar, 24, are activists LGTBI and they have been condemned for it.
"Contrary to published news, these people were accused of trafficking women to a country in the region with the promise of work and education.”, reported the news agency Mizan, of the Judiciary, in response to the complaint of hengaw, which focuses on the region of Kurdistan Iranian. According to information from Mizan, activists have been sentenced for “corruption on earth".
La NGO, however, assures that both were accused of “promote homosexuality","promotion of christianity"And"Dealing with media outlets that oppose the Islamic Republic".
Trafficking of women and support for homosexuals
Hamedani was arrested at the end of 2021 for her sexual orientation and for her social media posts in defense of human rights LGTBIAccording Amnesty International. "During her detention, she denounced that intelligence agents and security agencies tortured her, with beatings, electric shocks and prolonged periods of isolation.", he claimed Amnesty, who also denounced that the arrest was based on his “gender identity" and in "publications on social networks and statements in defense of LGTBI rights".
According to the medium IranWire, Hamedani was arrested on October 27, 2021 while trying to cross the border to Türkiye. Already then, an Iranian news agency associated with the security forces reported that it had carried out several arrests related to “trafficking in women and support for homosexuals".
The woman lived in Kurdistan Iraq, where she was detained for 21 days after giving an interview to the with the BBC about the situation in the community LGTBI. After his release, he returned to Iran to cross to Türkiye, informs IranWire.
Hamedani was detained and tortured in Iran
"I was detained in Iraq for 21 days for my BBC interview. They tortured me and put me in isolation. I will cross the border. If I make it to the other side, I'll be fine. If not, it will be obvious what has happened to me”, he stated in a video before embarking on the trip. “I send this video so you understand all the pressure we endure. Will I ever be myself? I hope one day we all live freely".
El Iranian Islamic Penal Code criminalizes relationships between people of the same sex and contemplates the whipping and the death penalty as punishments for it. The supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, described homosexuality last March as a “moral turpitude” very widespread in West.
