Three Men Reportedly Executed in Iran for Gay Sex

Towleroad.com

Like the horrific executions in 2005 (image below, more graphic at link), several men have reportedly been hanged in Iran for engaging in gay sex, Iran Human Rights reports:

According to the reports from Iran, six people were hanged in the Karoun prison of Ahvaz (southwest of Iran) early Sunday morning September 4th.

The state run Iranian news agency ISNA reported that three of those executed were sentenced to death by the Ahvaz revolution court, convicted of "unlawful" acts and acts against Sharia, based on the articles 108 and 110 of the Iranian Islamic penal code. Articles 108 and 110 of the Iranian Islamic Penal code are part of the chapter covering the punishment of "Hadd" for "sodomy". Article 108 says: "Sodomy (or Lavat) is sexual intercourse between men”, and article 110 says:”Punishment for sodomy is killing; the Sharia judge decides on how to carry out the killing".

The men were identified as: "M. T.", "T. T." and "M. Ch." (age not mentioned for any of them) and besides being convicted of sodomy, had also committed other offences such as kidnapping and robbery, said the report.

Said Iran Human Rights (IHR), Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam: "Yesterday’s executions for sodomy might be among the rare cases were the Iranian authorities admit to having executed men convicted of homosexual acts...Iranian authorities normally present such cases as rape, but rape as not been mentioned in this case."

According to Iran's news agency, the three other executions were for heroin trafficking, robbery, and rape.

Amiry-Moghaddam warns this may signnal a new wave of similar executions in the coming weeks.