tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799086301071172468.post451632473391185451..comments2024-03-29T05:01:44.511+00:00Comments on LGBT Asylum News: Does Hillary know this man?paulocanninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17499916652508144662noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799086301071172468.post-1996558451438137422009-04-09T15:19:00.000+01:002009-04-09T15:19:00.000+01:00As i explained to you before , Iraqi lgbt have nev...As i explained to you before , Iraqi lgbt have never said anywhere that the Iraqi government is set to execute more than 100 men for the "crime" of homosexuality, and neither has either UK Gay News, Page1Q and a few other LGBT mainstream publications. Phrases used include "some", "a few" and "at least one". but never all 128 - that is the wrong interpretation of many bloggers. Generally, the death penalty has been increasing at an alarming rate in Iraq since the new Iraqi regime reintroduced it in August 2004. Again, this is not specifically about homosexuals. In 2008 at least 285 people were sentenced to death, and at least 34 executed. In 2007 at least 199 people were sentenced to death and 33 were executed, while in 2006 at least 65 people were put to death. The actual figures could be much higher as there are no official statistics for the number of prisoners facing execution. Yesterday, The Edge Boston website published and article dismissing the fact that some (they indicated falsely all) of the 128 Iraqis on death row had homosexual-related convictions as unfounded. An official at the US State Department, John Fleming, told the Edge Boston reporter: "Homosexuality is not a crime in Iraq. - The individuals condemned to death in Iraq have been convicted of violent crimes, including murder, terrorism, insurgency and kidnapping." The article continues: There have been no executions of criminals since 2007, added Fleming, who also noted that any criminals now awaiting possible execution are there for crimes such as "terrorism, insurgency and kidnapping." Their sexual identity is irrelevant to the charges, he said.These are the facts, which I would have thought someone at the State Department would know. Homosexuality was legal in Iraq under Saddam Hussein until late 2001, when under pressure from religious conservatives he criminalized the act of sodomy. A law passed in 2001 made sodomy punishable by imprisonment, and repeated convictions punishable by death. It should be noted however that despite the change in law there where no known cases in which the death penalty was applied for the offence by Iraqi Courts. Hussein had previously refused to criminalise homosexuality, as it went against the Secular Socialist beliefs of the Ba'ath Party – see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Iraq Has John Fleming the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, who works at the Iraqi Desk and spent one year only in Iraq, investigated and done any research and contacted the Iraqi authority regarding the five gay men who is sentenced to death? Or any of the others in the 128 who are sentenced to death? In the Edge Boston, he continued: "None were convicted of the ’crime’ of being homosexual," Fleming told EDGE. "In fact, it’s immaterial to Iraqis. Frankly, there are other issues they’re concerned about like basic survival, getting food and water. It’s a luxury for the average Iraqi to worry about homosexuality." I was so worried why he is calling worrying about homosexuality a luxury. Is this another denial from the U.S State Department of the atrocities that has been happening in Iraq since 2003? So many conduct isn't a capital offence in Iraq, but people is still arrested and detained for no clear reason, for example being part of the resistant group or being Sunni or opposition is not a crime , but so many people have been sentenced to death for allegations of terrorism and others that led to their death. Iraq is a country of lawlessness, Iraqi new regime has sent people include women to their death for no clear offence or crime and still doing so. we are demanding for the Iraqi government to show the records of the hearing court charges for all these 128 men. Here is the article where the U.S states departments comments on the story has no merit. http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=&sc3=&id=89141<BR/>Warmest regards AliAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799086301071172468.post-82592529304115873102009-04-08T10:27:00.000+01:002009-04-08T10:27:00.000+01:00As a gay man stationed in Iraq, let me note that t...As a gay man stationed in Iraq, let me note that the report is completely untrue. The Iraqi Government has 128 people on death row; of those, two or three may (repeat may) be gay, but are not on death row because of their sexual orientation. The Ministry of Justice announced two weeks ago that it would seek to reduce the number of pending executions by implementing the death sentences for all 128 individuals -- all of whose appeals have run -- by executing five a day until the number was reached.<BR/><BR/>Somehow, this was turned into histrionic reports that the Iraqi government was rounding up Gay individuals for an execution spree. These negligently innacurate reports do a disservice to the Iraqi Government, and only make getting real information out about the status of Gay Iraqis more difficult.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com