Father Sentenced to Three Years for Murder of Transgender Son

In February of last year, the Criminal Court of Tabriz sentenced a man to three years in prison for the murder of his 17-year-old transgender son, sparing him from more severe punishment. According to the report by Rokna, the man killed his son, Parsa, because he wore makeup.

During his trial, the father defended his actions by stating, “Parsa had feminine sexual inclinations, and we did everything we could to treat him, but none were effective because Parsa did not cooperate and kept running away from home. His behavior was completely uncontrollable.” He also attempted to place Parsa in the care of the State Welfare Organization, which declined due to Parsa’s conditions.

The father further claimed that Parsa had recently tried to influence his younger brother, asserting, “His brother said that when we are alone at home, Parsa shows pictures of his friends and talks about the ‘immoral acts’ they perform together. I could no longer bear it. I felt so disgraced and embarrassed among friends and relatives.”

Ultimately, referencing Article 612 of the Fifth Book of the Islamic Penal Code, the court sentenced the man to three years in prison, including time already served. The Islamic Republic’s laws designate the father as the primary “blood avenger,” a status that can spare him from severe punishment in cases involving the killing of a child. This provision has been widely criticized by many who argue that it sometimes enables repeat offenses.

It is important to note that transgender individuals have a gender identity that differs from the sex assigned to them at birth. Not all transgender individuals seek gender confirmation surgeries. However, under Iranian law, a transgender person’s identity is recognized officially only after undergoing surgery and sterilization.

No specific regulations have yet been established in Iranian law regarding the transition process for transgender individuals; however, a section was included in the 2013 Family Protection Bill. In 1983, Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa legitimizing gender reassignment surgery. The absence of uniform laws for changing documents and obtaining necessary surgical permits has created significant challenges for transgender citizens, navigating legal complexities and facing arbitrary and sometimes exploitative behaviors by certain legal authorities.

Criminalized Identity: Highlighting LGBTQ+ Rights Abuses In Iran

Iranian LGBTQ+ individuals face systematic persecution that is both state-sponsored and pervasive. Legal frameworks and government policies explicitly endorse violence and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.

HRA, through extensive research via its Spreading Justice initiative, has identified the state institutions and individuals involved in human rights violations against these sexual and gender minorities. The research draws on detailed case studies and insights from members of the community advocating for change both within and beyond the borders of Iran.

State-Sponsored Homophobia: Institutional and Legislative Enablers

The Iranian government’s perpetuation of discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals is overt and multifaceted. Dating back decades, there are seemingly endless examples of the widespread, State-sponsored discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Iran.

The following are a mere few:

The notorious, “Modesty and Hijab Bill,” though not fully ratified, has already been used by State broadcasters to actively promote homophobia. Article 8 paragraph 2 of this bill compels the Broadcasting Organization of Iran to produce content that counters homosexuality, effectively legislating hate and reinforcing societal prejudices against LGBTQ+ individuals. The bill also explicitly tasks the Broadcasting Organization of Iran with promoting content that vilifies homosexuality, contributing to the spread of hatred against homosexuals, sanctioned by state media. Despite awaiting confirmation by the Guardian Council, the police force has practically enforced the hijab law in numerous cities, further institutionalizing discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community under the guise of upholding modesty and moral values. One example of spreading hatred against the LGBTQ+ community is, guest speakers on talk shows spreading false narratives. For example on Jaryan talk show, the Guest speaker questions the boundaries of freedom of expression in Europe, stating that while they can insult prophets, according to him, speaking against homosexuality leads to consequences.

In addition, The Research Center of the Parliament –which is a part of the Islamic Council Research is responsible for conducting study and research projects to provide advisory opinions to the representatives, commissions, and presidium of the Islamic Council— has produced reports that suggested temporary marriage as a remedy to homosexuality, in essence legitimizing State interference in personal identities. In 2014 a report titled Temporary Marriage and Its Effect on Adjusting Illicit Sexual Relations stated “Out of 141,552 middle school students across the country, 24,889 were identified as homosexuals.” The report went on to advocate for temporary marriage as a corrective measure, reinforcing harmful stereotypes.

Forced Conformity

In Iran, the judiciary plays a critical role in enforcing discriminatory laws against the LGBTQ+ community, particularly impacting transgender individuals. A stark example of this is Judge Abbas Ghaderi, head of Branch 45 of the Special Judicial Complex for Family Matters in Tehran. Ghaderi is notorious for his harsh requirements for transgender individuals who seek the legal recognition of their gender. Under his jurisdiction, transgender individuals are compelled to undergo extensive and invasive surgeries to legally change their gender markers on identification documents.

Abbas Ghaderi

Ahmad Ahmadi-Sadr

Alireza Nadali Sherestanaki

The extensive nature of Ghaderi’s behavior can be explored in more depth via his profile on the Spreading Justice database.

Iran has a gender binary legal framework and the law mandates that individuals select either male or female and undergo corresponding gender-confirming surgeries for legal recognition. The mandated surgeries are physically demanding, carry significant medical risks, and entail high financial costs that many cannot afford.  Requiring these surgeries as a condition for legal recognition imposes an unjust burden on transgender individuals, making their right to identity contingent upon their willingness and ability to undergo medical procedures. Moreover, those who refuse or are unable to choose a binary gender and undergo the prescribed surgeries face severe consequences. They are often denied access to basic services and rights, such as employment and education. This denial extends to various aspects of public life, effectively marginalizing them and limiting their ability to participate fully and freely in society.

In addition to these surgical requirements, transgender citizens must navigate a lengthy and arbitrary legal process to obtain identification documents that reflect their gender identity, often resulting in the removal of reproductive organs such as the uterus, ovaries, and testicles. These heavy and irreversible surgeries, coupled with the high costs and low quality of medical care available, further exacerbate the challenges faced by transgender Iranians. HRA has documented instances where local judges, like Judge Ghaderi, apply these requirements inconsistently, adding to the confusion and discrimination.

LGBTQ+ voices from inside the country

The situation for LGBTQ+ individuals in Iran is dire, marked by systemic discrimination, abuse, and persecution. Accounts from community members reveal the depth of their suffering and the pervasive fear that governs their lives.

“Being interrogated was a nightmare. They made fun of me, taunted me, and treated me like a criminal. Even soldiers who were supposed to be impartial joined in the abuse. When I was finally taken to prison, I was so humiliated that I wanted to disappear,” one individual recounted. This testimony highlights the hostile and dehumanizing treatment faced during interrogations.

The Iranian regime’s propaganda machinery further exacerbates the plight of LGBTQ+ individuals. “The regime actively fuels animosity against us. They even burn our flag in government marches and use derogatory language to perpetuate negative stereotypes about us. They exploit existing societal taboos to bolster their campaign of humiliation and oppression. This rhetoric reinforces deeply ingrained prejudices and strengthens the stigma surrounding our community,” shared another member. Such actions by the government serve to legitimize and intensify public hostility and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.

Living in constant fear, many LGBTQ+ individuals face profound personal and social risks. “My greatest fear is that coming out could cost me my freedom or my future. Arrests, job loss, or social ostracism are very real risks, even if I’m fortunate to have a supportive family. My fear is for those who have no such support,” explained a third individual. This fear is not unfounded, as Iran’s legal and social environment is extremely hostile towards LGBTQ+ individuals, often leading to severe consequences such as imprisonment, loss of employment, and social exclusion.

 

Military Service

In the realm of military service, discrimination persists with the “Nervous and Mental” classification in the medical exemption regulations. This classification, used to exempt transgender and homosexual individuals from mandatory military service, not only stigmatizes but also carries severe long-term repercussions. The label of a mental disorder is then recorded in their medical and military records, casting a long shadow over their lives, and impacting their ability to secure employment and access social services.

The military exemption, known as the “red card,” creates additional barriers to obtaining licenses or employment in public offices, reflecting a broader pattern of state-sanctioned discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals in Iran. This systematic marginalization,  reinforced by both legal mandates and societal attitudes, impedes the full participation of LGBTQ+ individuals in society.

Although there have been some changes since the enactment of the Examination and Medical Exemption Regulation for Conscription in 2014, which shifted the review of exemptions for transgender and homosexual individuals to specific sections, colloquially known as the “Nervous and Mental” section, the stigma attached to these exemptions persists. Despite the World Health Organization’s reclassification of being transgender from mental and behavioral disorders and the removal of homosexuality from the list of mental disorders in 1990, the implications of these exemptions remain problematic in Iran, especially considering the criminalization of same-sex relations. This has led to increased caution and strictness in issuing exemptions, which some manage to obtain only after extended efforts, often limited to an exemption from combat rather than a complete waiver from military service.

Systematic Exclusion from Professional and Social Arenas

The exclusion from additional professional and social arenas is another facet of discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Iran. Notable figures such as Mohammad Heidari, former head of City Theater, and Seyed Sadegh Mousavi, head of the Evaluation and Supervision Council of the General Directorate of Performing Arts, have played significant roles in excluding transgender individuals from the arts. The case of Saman Arastoo, a well-known actor who faced systematic exclusion from theater productions following his gender confirmation surgery, illustrates the professional and personal costs of such discrimination.

    Invisible Removal from the Work Environment

Some transgender individuals are deprived of continuing their careers in their specialized fields after coming out. Saman Arastoo, who was a recognized actor in cinema and theater, found himself ousted from the job market shortly after his gender confirmation. In 2020, in an interview with Ensaf News, addressing his removal from a theater production in 2008, Arastoo detailed that Mohammad Heidari, the head of City Theater, and Seyed Sadegh Mousavi Mousavi, from the Evaluation and Supervision Council, decided to remove him from the main character role after a lengthy review process. Arastoo stated, “Many students have been in my classes or participated in my self-awareness workshops. They are transgender and have studied at the University of Arts, and they are never given any work. I always tell the kids to make sure to do two or three art projects, whether in theater or cinema, before undergoing surgery so that they face fewer problems after the operation.”

    Marginalization from the Social Sphere

The marginalization extends beyond professional spheres into social settings. Alireza Nadali, the spokesperson for the Islamic Council of Tehran City, has publicly criticized the presence of transgender citizens in Daneshjoo Park, suggesting that their presence in public spaces should be regulated and not be allowed in cultural spots of the city. This type of rhetoric contributes to the stigmatization and marginalization of transgender individuals, limiting their ability to participate in public life.

    The Plight of Homeless Transgender Individuals

Economic and social challenges are further compounded for transgender individuals facing homelessness, a situation exacerbated by widespread family rejection owing to societal taboos and systemic barriers. In 2019, the Daneshgah News Agency highlighted the refusal of shelters to accommodate transgender individuals, citing a case where the Tehran Municipality was questioned for allowing a transgender individual to stay in a women’s shelter. In response to growing pressures, Ahmad Ahmadi Sadr from the Social Services and Participation Organization of Tehran announced plans in 2023 to establish specialized shelters. However, these promises were quickly retracted, underscoring a lack of genuine commitment to addressing the needs of transgender individuals facing homelessness.

Vulnerability to Violence

The vulnerability of LGBTQ+ individuals to violence is pronounced, with minimal protection or recourse available through legal channels. Incidents of violence, such as the assault on a 23-year-old transgender woman in Sanandaj by her brother, often go unaddressed by authorities, leaving victims without support or justice. The lack of a safe environment, even for welfare workers, places these individuals at greater risk, highlighting the systemic neglect and discrimination they face daily.

These examples starkly illustrate the multifaceted discrimination and exclusion faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Iran, spanning professional, social, and personal spheres. The systemic nature of this exclusion, supported by both governmental policy and societal attitudes, necessitates urgent reforms to protect the rights and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community in Iran.

Security Measures Against LGBTQ+ Members

The plight of LGBTQ+ individuals in Iran extends into their treatment under security measures and legal actions. During the nationwide protests in 2022/23 Rahaa Ajoudani, a transgender citizen living in Tehran, was arrested and faced severe judicial consequences. She was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and banned from leaving the country, although her sentence was later converted to a fine due to “living conditions as a transgender woman and the lack of a proper facility for detention.” This adjustment speaks volumes about the unsuitable conditions in detention facilities, which were further highlighted by leaked surveillance footage showing inadequate facilities and oversight in the specific prison ward where she was held.

Furthermore, the morality police and law enforcement agencies have historically targeted transgender individuals based on their appearance. Recent allegations have included accusations of promoting immorality, leading to arrests and detentions. For instance, in Gonbad-e Kavus in April 2023, a citizen was detained on such charges. Additionally, State-affiliated media have been involved in propagating stigmatizing narratives, including releasing videos of “forced confessions” from five transgender individuals, casting further doubt on the fairness and transparency of legal proceedings against the LGBTQ+ community. The ultimate fate of these individuals remains unknown, underscoring the ongoing risks and uncertainties faced by the community.

Conversion Therapies

Conversion therapies, which are widely discredited by global health authorities, are still promoted and practiced, often under the guise of religious and psychological “treatment.” Dr. Davood Najafi Tavana, for instance, advertises conversion therapies on his website, offering medication, hypnotism, and aversion therapy as methods to change an individual’s sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. Similarly, the Mehr news agency and the ISNA news agency have published claims supporting the efficacy of conversion therapy, despite widespread international condemnation of such practices. These actions are indicative of a broader societal and governmental stance that views homosexuality and diverse gender identities as disorders that need to be “cured” or “corrected,” further alienating and endangering the LGBTQ+ population.

The Organization of Psychology and Counseling, as the overseeing body for psychologists, does not take any action regarding the unscientific claims made by practitioners of conversion therapy. This is despite the fact that these so-called therapies have long-lasting or irreparable effects on individuals’ mental health, particularly adolescents. Among the responsibilities of this organization are issuing licenses and permits for members of the organization (psychologists and counselors) and monitoring the quality of their professional work.

 

Hate Speech

Hate speech against the LGBTQ+ community is rampant among high-ranking officials and media outlets in Iran. Historical and ongoing rhetoric from figures such as Ebrahim Raisi underscores the institutional disdain and disregard for LGBTQ+ rights. In a notable instance during a visit to Uganda in 2023, President Raisi criticized Western countries for promoting homosexuality, linking it to broader geopolitical conflicts and cultural wars. He stated, “Western countries are pressuring independent countries by attacking the family foundation, promoting the ugly phenomenon of homosexuality, spreading extremism and terrorism, and using human rights as a tool.” He further stated “This [homosexuality] is one of the dirtiest things that has happened in human history”, he even goes as far as saying homosexuality is created to “extinct humans”. His statements, alongside those of Vahid Yamin Pour, Secretary of the Supreme Council for Youth, who praised Uganda’s harsh anti-homosexuality laws, reflect a deep-seated animosity towards LGBTQ+ rights, both domestically and internationally.

 

The Urgent Need for Accountability and Reform

Iran’s legal framework and practices concerning homosexuality and in particular forced gender reaffirming surgery contravene several fundamental principles of international human rights law. These include the rights to life, privacy, freedom from torture and cruel treatment, bodily autonomy, and the principle of nondiscrimination.

The criminalization of homosexuality and importantly the imposition of the death penalty for consensual same-sex activities are severe violations of the right to life, as protected under Article 6 of the ICCPR. The United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) has consistently maintained, as noted in the general comment, that the death penalty should only be applied to the “most serious crimes,” a category that does not encompass consensual sexual relations. Furthermore, such criminalization on this ground constitutes an arbitrary interference with privacy.

Compulsory gender reaffirming surgeries infringe upon the right to health, which encompasses the right to make autonomous decisions regarding one’s body. This practice directly contravenes international human rights standards that protect individuals from non-consensual medical treatments and uphold their right to personal health decisions. The forced imposition of gender reaffirming surgeries on transgender individuals in this way amounts to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.

Finally, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited by international human rights law. Iran’s laws target LGBTQ+ individuals, leading to systematic discrimination that violates their inherent dignity and equality.

The international community must support LGBTQ+ activists and pressure Iran to change its laws to meet international human rights standards and uphold its obligations. There must also be accountability for all past and ongoing violations.

By systematically identifying and discussing the roles of specific perpetrators and institutions, HRA seeks to underscore the accountability necessary for addressing human rights violations against LGBTQ+ individuals (as a persecuted group) in Iran.

In Iran, essential reforms must include decriminalizing homosexuality, abolishing the death penalty for consensual same-sex activities, and halting forced gender-reaffirming surgeries.

These changes are crucial to ensure that Iran respects and protects the fundamental human rights of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

As the international community continues to watch, these efforts must be supported and amplified to foster real and lasting change.

 

List of perpetrators mentioned in the Report  

Ebrahim Raisi: President of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Abbas Ghaderi: Former Head of the 45th branch of the Special Judicial Complex for non-litigious matters at the Public and Revolutionary Courts of Tehran

Alireza Nadali: Member and spokesperson of the Tehran Islamic Council

Ahmad Ahmadi-Sadr: CEO of the Welfare, Services, and Social Partnerships Organization of Tehran Municipality

Transgender Individual Arrested in Gonbad-e Kavus for Alleged Promotion of Indecency

The police chief of Gonbad-e Kavus, located in Golestan province, has announced the arrest of a transgender individual on charges of “promoting indecency and promiscuity,” as reported by the Borna News Agency.

According to police officials, the detainee was accused of “gathering a group of young motorcyclists to cause traffic disruptions in Gonbad-e Kavus, with the intention of promoting indecency and promiscuity.”

While specific details of the alleged actions promoting indecency were not provided, the police chief suggested that the individual’s motive was to seek adventure and demonstrate their abilities to their friends. Legal proceedings have been initiated against the individual in question, as confirmed by the police chief.

Five Transgender Individuals Arrested and Coerced into Confession

In Tehran, five transgender citizens were arrested following a quarrel with a religious vigilante who targeted them for their attire. The footage of their coerced confession has recently been released by security-affiliated media.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Hamshahri, five transgender citizens were apprehended in the Afsariyeh district of Tehran.

The incident unfolded when a self-proclaimed religious enforcer took it upon themselves to interfere with these citizens, citing the religious duty of “enjoining good and forbidding wrong,” ultimately resulting in the arrest of these transgender individuals. Consequently, legal action has been taken against them.
The recently published video captures their forced confession, in which they express remorse for their behaviour and appearance. The identities of these individuals remain unknown at present.

Recognition of transgender identity in Iran is solely contingent upon undergoing state-supported sex reassignment surgery. Additionally, there are instances where homosexual individuals are coerced into undergoing such surgeries to alleviate legal and social pressures.

Iran Protests: Non-binary Teenager Raha Ajodani Arrested

On December 17, 2022, Raha Ajodani, a non-binary teenager, was arrested by security forces in Tehran and reportedly transferred to a youth detention centre.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on December 17, 2022, Raha Ajodani was arrested in Tehran.
An informed source told HRANA, Ajodani was arrested while leaving her home. The agents searched the house and confiscated some of her belongings.

“Since her registered gender does not match her gender identity, it is unclear in which section for boys or girls, Ajodani has been sent, raising her family concerns,” this informed source added.

Despite frequent family inquiries, the reason for her arrest and the charges are unknown.

Earlier, on October 26, 2022, Ajodani was arrested at recent protests and released after a few hours.

 

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59 Human Rights Organizations Call for Abolition of Death Penalty for All Offences

On October 10, the 20th anniversary of the World Day Against the Death Penalty, Human Rights Activists in Iran and 58 other human rights organizations issued a joint statement to draw attention to gender bias and discrimination against women and LGBTQIA+, which can negatively impact the judicial process. They also called for the abolition of the death penalty for all offenses.

The following is the full text of this statement:

20TH WORLD DAY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY

On this 20th anniversary of the World Day Against the Death Penalty dedicated to the link between torture and the use of the death penalty and in continuation of the 2021 World Day Against the Death Penalty dedicated to women facing capital punishment, sentenced to death, executed, pardoned or charged with a capital crime and found not guilty, the members of the World Coalition and allies of women and LGBTQIA+ individuals sentenced to death take this opportunity to:

  • Draw attention to gender bias in the use of torture in the judicial process leading to the imposition of the death penalty. Women and LGBTQIA+ individuals are particularly at risk to abuse, including physical, sexual, and psychological torture. In addition, women victims of gender-based violence, who are over-represented on death row, are at risk of making false confessions when subjected to coercive investigative methods, especially those carried out by men.
  • Emphasize that violence against women and LGBTQIA+ individuals in detention – including gender and sexual abuse and harassment, inappropriate touching during searches, rape, and sexual coercion – can rise to the level of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention Against Torture (CAT), among others.
  • Accentuate that women and LGBTQIA+ individuals have specific needs, including sexual and reproductive health care, medical and mental health care, harm reduction services for those using drugs, and protection from gender-based violence, among others. These needs are not systematically considered and covered in prisons, which can turn detention into torture.
  • Stress that in many countries, particularly those with the mandatory death penalty, women and LGBTQIA+ individuals may be sentenced to death without considering their experiences of gender-based violence, among their other vulnerability aspects, prior to incarceration.

More broadly, the members of the World Coalition and allies of women and LGBTQIA+ individuals sentenced to death and at risk of being sentenced to death wish to use this 20th anniversary to:

  • Emphasize that, as done by the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions in its 2022 report, the death penalty as currently practiced can be considered as torture.
  • Call attention to the intersectional discrimination and inequalities that women and LGBTQIA+ individuals face, as these can negatively impact the judicial process leading to the death penalty. Pervasive gender biases in criminal legal systems influence: the investigation, through gender bias by law enforcement; the trial, where marginalized women and LGBTQIA+ individuals tend to be denied fair trial; and at the sentencing stage, where mitigating circumstances that might benefit women and LGBTQIA+ individuals sentenced to death are not considered.
  • Recall that, in violation of international human right law and standards, 12 countries continue to criminalize consensual same-sex relations, imposing the death penalty upon conviction.
  • Address the recognition of the intersectional dimension of discrimination. An analysis of the profiles of women sentenced to death reveals that most are from ethnic and racial minorities, are non-literate, and live with intellectual or psychological disabilities, often as a result of the gender-based violence they have suffered. Gender-based discrimination does not operate in isolation but is compounded by other forms of discrimination, including discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, sex characteristics, economic status, and disability, among others.
  • Make visible the lack of accurate and up-to-date data on the number and status of women and LGBTQIA+ individuals sentenced to death, executed, or whose death sentences have been commuted or pardoned.

We recommend that governments in countries that still retain the death penalty:

  1. Abolish the death penalty for all offences, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics;
  2. Establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty, as called for by the UN General Assembly in its resolutions calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty;
  3. Pending full abolition, we call on governments to:
    1. Eliminate the death penalty for offences that do not meet the threshold of  “most serious crimes” under international law and standards including same-sex relationships and drug offences;
    2. Repeal provisions that allow for the mandatory imposition of the death penalty, which does not allow judges to consider the circumstances of the offence for the defendant at sentencing;
    3. Commute the sentences of women sentenced to death for killing close family members who perpetrated gender-based violence against them and for women sentenced to death for drug trafficking and other offenses that do not involve the loss of human life;
    4. Acknowledge the compounding forms of violence and discrimination experienced by girls, women and LGBTQIA+ individuals – including gender-based violence, early and forced marriage;
    5. Review laws, criminal procedures, and judicial practices and implement policies and legislative reforms to protect women and LGBTQIA+ individuals from violence and discrimination;
    6. Ensure that the criminal legal system takes full account of any mitigating factors linked to women’s and LGBTQIA+ individuals’ backgrounds, including evidence of prior abuse as well as psycho-social and intellectual disabilities;
    7. Ensure publicly available disaggregated data on people sentenced to death, their profile, age, gender, the courts that have pronounced the judgements charges and places of detention;
    8. Prevent the disproportionate detention and prosecution of women for “moral and sexual” crimes and of people for their sexual orientation and decriminalize such offenses;
    9. Promote the training of all those involved in the investigation, legal defense, prosecution, trial, adjudication and conviction of crimes involving women on gender-based discrimination and violence, pathways to crime, and gender-sensitive mitigations;
    10. Ensure that all those facing the death penalty have access to free and effective legal representation by counsel with experience representing individuals charged with capital offences and who are trained to recognize and bring forward mitigating factors, including those linked to gender-based discrimination and violence;
    11. Develop and implement programs to prevent gender-based violence and discrimination, and to promote the human rights of women, girls and LGBTQIA individuals+;
    12. Guarantee access to consular assistance for foreign women charged with death-eligible offenses, as required by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations;
    13. In accordance with the Bangkok Rules and the Mandela Rules, adopt gender-sensitive policies regarding the detention of women, ensuring their safety and security before trial, during admission to prison, and while incarcerated.

Signatory organizations:


  1. ACAT Germany
  2. AdvocAid
  3. The Advocates for Human Rights
  4. American Constitution Society
  5. Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN)
  6. Association pour les Droits Humains au Kurdistan d’Iran-Genève (KMMK-G)
  7. Avocats sans frontières France
  8. Capital Punishment Justice Project
  9. Center for Constitutional Rights
  10. Coalition Tunisienne Contre la Peine de mort
  11. Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Puerto Rico
  12. Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide
  13. The Death Penalty Project
  14. Droit et Paix
  15. Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort
  16. Federal Association of Vietnamese Refugees in the Federal Republic of Germany
  17. Fédération internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH)
  18. Fédération internationale des ACAT (FIACAT)
  19. Forum Marocain pour la Vérité et la Justice
  20. Gender Violence Clinic – University of Maryland Carey School of Law
  21. German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalt
  22. Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women
  23. Greater Caribbean for Life
  24. Harm Reduction International
  25. Human Rights Activists in Iran
  26. Human Rights and Legal Profession Project Assistant
  27. International Commission of Jurist
  28. Institute for Criminal Justice Reform
  29. Institute for the Rule of Law of the International Association of Lawyers
  30. IraQueer
  31. Italian Federation for Human Rights
  32. Japan Innocence and Death Penalty Information Center
  33. Kenya Human Rights Commission
  34. Lawyers Collective India
  35. Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Masyarakat
  36. Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH)
  37. Madrid Bar Association
  38. MASUM & PACTI
  39. Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les peuples (MRAP)
  40. Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA)
  41. Pax Christi Uvira
  42. Penal Reform International
  43. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor
  44. Red para la Abolición de la Pena de Muerte y las Penas Crueles
  45. Resilient Women’s Organization
  46. Planète Réfugiés-Droits de l’Homme
  47. The Rights Practice
  48. Sandigan Kuwait
  49. The Sentencing Project
  50. Society for Human Rights and Development Organisation (SHRDO)
  51. Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty (TAEDP)
  52. Terre des Femmes e.V.
  53. The Texas After Violence Project
  54. Union Chrétienne pour le Progrès et la Défense des Droits de l’Homme
  55. The William Gomes Podcast
  56. Witness to Innocence
  57. Women Beyond Walls
  58. The Women and Harm Reduction International
  59. World Coalition Against the Death Penalty

 

Urmia Revolutionary Court has sentenced Zahra Sedighi Hamedani and Elham Choobdar to death

The Revolutionary Court of Urmia sentenced Zahra Sedighi Hamedani and Elham Choobdar to death. The Media Center for Iran’s Judiciary cited the reason as “spreading corruption on earth through trafficking women to the Kurdistan region of Iraq.” However, many have expressed concern that the two were #LGBTQ+ advocates and the sentencing may be related to their sexual orientation.

According to HRANA, the Human Rights Activists news agency, the Revolutionary Court of Urmia has issued a death sentence for Zahra Sedighi Hamedani and Elham Choobdar.

The Media Center for Iran’s Judiciary announced that these individuals have “deceived and trafficked women to one of the countries in the region by promising them education and jobs, and in some cases, young women have committed suicide.”

Sedighi was in Iraq’s Kurdistan region but was arrested on her way to Turkey when part of her trip led her to cross Iran’s territory.

On November 6, 2021, the IRGC announced the arrest of (Zahra Sedighi Hamedani) as ahead of a network that was trafficking women to a country to spread prostitution with the support of Homosexual groups and foreign intelligence services.” some LGBTQ+ activists denied such accusations and attributed the arrest to the individual’s sexual orientation and advocacy work.

IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News has also brought such accusations against Zahra Sedighi Hamedani, including gambling, fraud, promotion of homosexuality, illegitimate sexual relationships, and publishing on social media. Tasnim also revealed the identity of two other defendants, Alireza Farjadi-Kia and a woman identified with the first name Kati.

In February of 2022, Amnesty International recognized Sedighi as an LGBTQ+ rights activist and warned about her execution for promoting homosexuality and Christianity.

However, until now, no part of the case documents, including the pleadings or the workflow of the case, or any comments from any of the above sources, including the lawyers of the case, have been published.

Police Refuse to Record Transgender Individual’s Complaint

Tehran police refused to record the complaint of a transgender who was assaulted and beaten by two individuals.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting BBC Persian, a transgender Individual who was assaulted by two was denied justice by the police.

A video published by BBC Persian showed a transgender being assaulted and scolded by a woman at a shopping mall in Tehran. Then, a man assaulted her and crashed her phone.

Despite abundant pieces of evidence, the police refused to file her complaint.

In Iran, transgender individuals are subject to daily discrimination, harassment and violations. Transgender identity is only recognized through state-supported sex reassignment surgery. In some cases, homosexual individuals are pressured to go through sex reassignment surgery to avoid legal and social pressure.

State-Sponsored Discrimination against Iranian LGBTQI+ Communities Ramps up amidst a Growing and More Vocal Activist Community

The Islamic Republic has long criminalized homosexuality in its domestic legal systems while also actively fueling propaganda campaigns in both media and educational institutions including through discriminatory public media content, textbooks, and campaigns aimed at so-called “Conversion Therapy”

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, as the number of LGBTQI+ activists in the country continue to grow, Iranian politicians, cultural public figures and celebrities have made public statements aimed at inciting public discrimination, hostility, and violence against the LGBTQI+ community inside of Iran.

Officials representing the government have gone on record with their discriminatory positions. The Iranian Government Spokesperson Ali Rabiei announced the allocation of loans for the “treatment of transgender people.” Abbas Masjedi Arani, the head of the Iranian Forensic Medicine Organization, while giving an interview regarding sex reassignment surgeries in 2019 (gender affirmation surgery), described transgender identity as a disorder.” On a prior occasion, the head of the Forensic Medicine Organization expressed concerns about increasing requests for gender affirmation surgeries, for which he blamed the Internet and social media, “It rings the alarm bell for both legal decision-makers in the parliament and society at large. Our initial research points to the unrestricted and inappropriate use of the internet as the major cause of the issue. In an interview with a foreign news agency, Minoo Mohraz, the head of the Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS (IRCHA) said, “for the sake of public health protection, sex workers, addicted people, and homosexuals have to be identified and treated.” Mohraz added, “[…] we have to treat them before they pollute the rest of society.”

‘Halalzadeha’

An apparent grassroots group known as ‘Halalzadeha’ has been circulating content on social media inciting discriminatory language against sexual and gender minorities. The group is also known to hold gatherings in Tehran aimed at condemning same-sex marriage in other countries. During the last 22 Bahman March (Anniversary of the 1979 Revolution), they stepped and marched on rainbow flags incitement hostility against members of the LGBTQI+ community. The lack of attempt by police or security forces to interfere in the gatherings, which is a routine activity in the case of similar gatherings, indicates that such groups are potentially supported by the regime.

“Conversion Therapy” and Unethical Medical Advice 

At odds with the body of knowledge in their respective field, several psychiatrists and psychologists employ unscientific treatment methods to change the gender identity of transgender people. Under pressure from their family, many transgender youths give in to unscientific treatment methods. Nonetheless, the Medical Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran has remained in a conspiracy of silence toward these unsubstantiated methods. The silent complicity in such methods is in stark contrast to the regime’s obligations under international law.

Social media has become a major channel of promotion for such treatments. In an article entitled, “Eight Guiding Methods to Cure Homosexuality”, which was widely disseminated online, a purported specialist in psychology and hypnosis, Davood Najafi Tavana, claimed that his methods could “change an LGBT person into a straight person.”

Tavana claimed that: “to cure homosexuality, one must see a psychiatrist as soon as possible to ensure the normal functioning of the endocrine glands.” He continued, “One can do this by running some tests. In this phase of treatment, with the help of medicine, your homosexuality will be cured.” He also stated that one must also, “Purify your mind also by appealing to God and holy Imams. In this way, you can overcome your diabolic thoughts and temptations.”

Mehr News Agency, which is affiliated with Islamic Development Organization, published an article criticizing a psychiatrist who had described homosexuality as a natural disposition. The report claimed “so far, no accredited laboratory has proven that homosexuality is a natural disposition. They asked, “How can a psychiatrist who is supposed to comply with scientific principles, expose his patients to damages of homosexual intercourse by saying that this is natural?” The report repeated Tavana’s claim that homosexuality can be cured with drugs, “In Iran, many physicians have the successful treatment of homosexual patients in their career. Therefore, the wrong assertion that homosexuality is incurable has to be debunked as a trick of political advocates of homosexuality.”

Anti-LGBT Statements in State Media

Director and screenwriter, Behrouz Afkhami has made several homophobic statements during a TV talk show. Answering an interview question about the conditions for awarding at Cannes Film Festival he asserted, “If a film about an LGBT person participates in this festival, they spare special points for such film to take precedence over others in the competition.”  In response, the program host agreed and went on to identify homosexuality as a “sexual perversion.”

Director and screenwriter, Ghotbeddin Sadeghi, in a speech defended the security fencing of Tehran City Theater premises and claimed, ” Theatre premises have been occupied by thugs, criminals and queer people who do not observe the cultural sanctity of this place.” In response to his homophobic statements, a group of artists and civil activists in the field of sexual and gender minorities published an open statement and condemned these statements as hate speech.

In the statement, activists stated:

“Closing their eyes to the root cause of social issues, they [government] introduce the gender minorities as the main cause or at least one of the major causes of social insecurity. They place blame on the queer community whose social presence and even gender expression are restricted and condemned due to the criminalization of their existence. They bring down the hammer on this part of the society because their quest for LGBTQI+’s exclusion is the most self-assured policy in such discriminative and injustice sphere.”

Incorporating Gender Stereotypes in Educational Materials

The regime continues incorporating gender stereotypes in educational materials particularly at lower-secondary level (middle school). Such stereotypes indirectly intensify violence against LGBTQI+ people. By enclosing the gender spectrum into a gender binary, these textbooks adversely impact a children’s perception of gender minorities and as such incite discrimination and hostility towards those minorities within their own society.

A textbook titled ‘Family Management and Lifestyles’, which is taught exclusively to girls in the 12th grade, the text advised girls, “If a man, from the outset of the marriage life, expects his wife to contribute to breadwinning, you better reconsider marrying this man, because, in such marriage life, you have to take over both men’s and women’s roles.” The underlying patriarchal structure of traditional culture as well as Iran’s domestic legal system puts all efforts to reinforce such strict gender roles and eliminate all gender-equal living patterns. For this purpose, the official education system plays a key role in the reproduction of gender discrimination and the upbringing of children in accordance with Islamic views on gender rather than gender equality.

Censorship

The regime vigorously censors any content about LGBTQI+ rights to cut the access of families of an LGBTQ member to these contents. None of the educational platforms, dating websites or computer games are immune to this type of censorship.

Recently, a Mobile game app called ‘Apex Legends’ was removed from the app store Kafe-Bazar by the order of the regime’s monitoring working group. Soon after, this application was taken down from the Myket App store as well. Activists believe that gay and lesbian characters in this game were the reason for this censorship.

Iranian LGBTQIA Activists Asked for Ending Discrimination against Gender Minorities in Medical Centers

In an open letter addressing the medical community of Iran, a number of LGBTQIA activists asked for ending discrimination against gender minorities for having access to medical care.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of Iran’s independent LGBTQIA activists protested against discrimination and lack of access to medical care for gender minorities.  

In this letter, they asserted that everyone should be entitled to access to medical records regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Nonetheless, for LGBTIA+ community, the experience is not favorable. In the letter, twelve examples of harassment and discrimination including harassment of male homosexuals in forensic centers were counted. The stigmatization of female homosexuals/ bisexuals by obstetricians and gynecologists, and the harassment of transgender individuals by forensic centers for receiving sex reassignment certificates were also noted.