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if Expelled from Sweden Mother Suffers Reprisals Contact Sweden's Appeal Board Now! |
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Compiled By GayToday
The expulsion of a gay Iranian who has applied for asylum in Sweden was
delayed a few hours on January 20, immediately before he was due to be
placed on a flight back to Iran.
However, the Aliens Appeals Board – the Swedish immigration authority – decided that the Iranian citizen is to be kept in police custody, to prevent any attempts to escape a possible future expulsion. The delay was reportedly brought about by new evidence produced by Stig-Ake Petersson, Asylum Coordinator for the Swedish gay and lesbian group RFSL.
No information is available as to whether the Aliens Appeals Board intends to suspend deportation awaiting a judgement by those bodies, which might take several years. According to Stig-Ake Petersson, the man faces certain death if repatriated to Iran. Those charged with love-making are given a choice of four deathstyles: being hanged, stoned, halved by a sword, or dropped from the highest perch. Gay men and lesbians live in frightening closets in this ancient land once known as Persia. A theocracy masquerading as a democracy, ever since fundamentalist religionists seized government control following a 1979 uprising against the autocratic Shah, primitive "religious" death penalties for same-sex love are now used to strike terror into Iran's fragmented gay communities. During the past decade, however, Iranian men and women, primarily exiles, have bravely confronted the rampant homophobia loosed in their country, publishing an impressive magazine, Homan, and courageously establishing worldwide outposts of their organization, also called Homan. Hit-squads sanctioned by the Iranian government operate brashly in locales outside the nation, murdering nationals who oppose the current "religious" regime. The bravery, therefore, of Iranians who publish and agitate against the anti-gay policies of the regime cannot be underestimated. A perusal of the anti-gay penal code passed by the fundamentalist Iranian parliament in 1982 gives evidence of the insanity that motivates homophobic nit-pickers. "One may become aware of the complexities and intricacies of Iranian sex laws and appreciate the extraordinary flatulence of their creators," writes one critic. According to Article 152, if two men not related by blood are discovered naked under one cover without good reason, both will be punished at a judge's discretion. Gay teens (Article 144) are also punished at a judge's discretion. Rubbing one's penis between the thighs without penetration (tafheed) shall be punished by 100 lashes for each offender. This act, known to the English- speaking world as "frottage" is punishable by death if the "offender" is a non-Moslem. If frottage is thrice repeated and penalty-lashes have failed to stop such repetitions, upon the fourth "offense" both men will be put to death. Even heterosexually-inclined Iranians must now be exceedingly careful. Should they introduce two men who are likely to be found nude under the covers or to rub their penises between thighs or buttocks, they too are liable for 70 lashes (if they are men) or 75 lashes (if they are women.) According to Article 156, a person who repents and confesses his gay behavior prior to his identification by four witnesses, may be pardoned. Even kissing "with lust" (Article 155) is forbidden. This bizarre law works to eliminate old Persian male-bonding customs, including common kissing and holding hands in public. Who can determine what constitutes lust? Some gay liberationists joke about the "boner police." In fact, morality police do thrive in modern Iran, seeking out not only gays and lesbians, but opposite sex couples too, those who picnic together without being related by blood. How to Help: EXTREMELY URGENT Faxes/letters of protest may be directed to: Aliens Appeals Board (Utlänningsnämnden) Box 45102 104 30 STOCKHOLM Telefax: 46-8-30 15 39 (IMPORTANT! Refer to case number UN 99/00445) |
