Iranian teenager sentenced to death for sodomy on the basis of "judge's knowledge"

St._Andalou

This is terrible beyond words.

An 18-year-old Iranian is facing imminent execution on charges of homosexuality, even though he has no legal representation. Ebrahim Hamidi, who is not gay, was sentenced to death for lavat, or sodomy, on the basis of "judge's knowledge", a legal loophole that allows for subjective judicial rulings where there is no conclusive evidence.

The article continues:

Hamidi was arrested two years ago in the suburbs of the western city of Tabriz in the East Azerbaijan province after a fight with members of another family. Three of his friends were also involved in the incident and were subsequently arrested. Later, the four were accused of homosexual assault on a man and of attempting to abuse him sexually.

A person convicted of homosexuality in Iran can be lashed, hanged or stoned to death. The law includes a variety of penalties for different acts: 99 lashes if two unrelated males sleep "unnecessarily" under the same blanket – even without any sexual contact. A boy raped by an adult man would also be lashed if the court decided that he had "enjoyed" the experience.

After three days in detention, Hamidi confessed to the crime, allegedly under torture. The other three were cleared of all charges when promised by officials that they would be freed if they testified against Hamidi.

St._Andalou

I think it's so easy to take our rights for granted and easy to forget that freedom is just a matter of geography.

L.Jenkins

Thats a disgraceful abuse of civil rights. I must say on reading that i feel fortunate. Maybe someday we can global equality and In no way should he be sentenced to death.

mrDerek

honestly why is it so ****ed up over there?

scientific1982

mrDerek wrote: »

honestly why is it so ****ed up over there?

One word: religion.

cooltown

When I read things like this it kind of makes me cry because I know if my father had his way that's the way our country would be run!

Rev Hellfire

Its really non-news.

Bad things happen in bad places, world turns, no one really cares.

St._Andalou

Rev Hellfire wrote: »

Bad things happen in bad places, world turns, no one really cares.

I'm pretty sure the teenager who is about to be executed cares. What a moronic comment on your part.

Rev Hellfire

St._Andalou wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the teenager who is about to be executed cares. What a moronic comment on your part.

In the end of the day these posts reveal nothing new, nor do they achieve anything other than to satisfy some schadenfreude-like tendency in people.

As for the individual involved, well its unfortunate for him, but no more than it is for the numerous others hung, buried and stoned each year in Iran in the name of Islam.

UrbanSea

You do have a fair point there,rev hellfire.
I bet there are hundreds of similar cases each week in all different parts of the world.
These things happen,life isn't fair. It's harsh,but it will continue to happen in these backward societies.

lynsalot

Please sign the following petition to help prevent this killing from happening.

http://www.gopetition.com/petition/38289.html

This is so inhumane it's disgusting. I feel sick reading it. Please lets try and do all we can to prevent this from happening for this poor poor man.

ChristopherUno

I'm afraid Hellfire is right, this type of thing happens on a huge scale every day, the majority goes unreported, and for most of what is reported it's too late to really do anything about it. And much as this petition is a move to rectify the situation, it most likely won't achieve anything, like the millions of other petitions and movements around the world for various causes. Watching mankind is like the morbid fascination of watching a car crash or a riot on repeat, there's a new thread like this every week. We in Ireland are sadly in the minority not having to suffer this type of thing on a daily basis.

lynsalot

It just makes you feel so helpless doesn't it? I wish there was something we could do. Surely the UN should be getting involved? Excuse my ignorance if this isn't correct but some organistion to protect human rights...

TerrorFirmer

What's new? As citizens in a well protected environment, there's not much we can do but express disbelief at such occurrences, and how easily as products of said environment we can do so ( oh, how utterly unfortunate....). Not because I don't believe in a higher being i.e god, but I do believe in protection for all individuals from abuse and torture regardless of their religious belief ( as a vague catholic, I would always prioritize victims of injustice/abuse, regardless of their faith), i do believe that any victim, regardless of faith, persuasion, can be intervened upon by basis of international standing. Pity it doesn't happen. World we live in.

Eebs

It's hardly non-news though..

Just because you can't change something or do anything about (something I also don't think is totally true) doesn't mean you shouldn't be aware of it.

We can't simply close our eyes to other countries and peoples plight because it's convenient to tell ourselves it's not our issue, it's wider societal issue blah blah.
It's hardly the people born into different cultures fault for existing in it. It's also not easy to try change things yourselves without any sort of help.

Point being:
Amnesty does great work and has proven that simply writing letters can make a difference. Sign the petition, if it does nothing well then it took 1 minute of your precious time. If it does something then it'll be more than worth it.

I don't think there is no point posting about stuff like that though. It's important to remind ourselves we're living in a bubble.

Annasopra

Eebs wrote: »

It's hardly non-news though..

Just because you can't change something or do anything about (something I also don't think is totally true) doesn't mean you shouldn't be aware of it.

We can't simply close our eyes to other countries and peoples plight because it's convenient to tell ourselves it's not our issue, it's wider societal issue blah blah.
It's hardly the people born into different cultures fault for existing in it. It's also not easy to try change things yourselves without any sort of help.

Point being:
Amnesty does great work and has proven that simply writing letters can make a difference. Sign the petition, if it does nothing well then it took 1 minute of your precious time. If it does something then it'll be more than worth it.

I don't think there is no point posting about stuff like that though. It's important to remind ourselves we're living in a bubble.

Thanks Eebs - I think Rev Hellfires attitude of apathy would mean nothing would ever change in the world - I for one prefer to have hope that any action no matter small can change things in the world e.g. Dunnes Stores strikers did have some impact on Apartheid - If we accepted RHs apathy then we would still probably be saying "oh isn't it awful what is happening in South Africa"