IRAN: YOUTH SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONS

July 4, 2010: an Iranian youth in Tabriz has been sentenced to death by hanging for the charge of having homosexual relations.
Mohammad Mostafai, attorney for the accused announced that three other people accused in the case were acquitted of the same crime.
 According to Iranian law, homosexual relations are against the law and given the death penalty.
Mohammad Mostafai maintained that Hamid Taghi, Ebrahim Hamidi, Mehdi Pouran and Mohammad Rezai were accused of having homosexual relations and were sentenced to death in the preliminary court. Mosatafai adds after appealing to the Supreme Court, three of them were acquitted while Ebrahim Hamidi’s death sentence was upheld.
 Mosatafai also maintains that the plaintiff in the case has said that his parents forced him to make a complaint and Ebrahim Hamidi has in no way sexually assaulted him. (Sources: Eurasia Review, 04/07/2010)