Iran: Makwan Moloudzadeh Was Executed in Kermanshah Central Prison at 5 a.m., This Morning, December 5, 2007

December 5, 2007 in Execution, Homophobia, Homosexuality, Hossein Alizadeh, Human Rights, IGLHCR, Iran, IRQO, Islam, Islamism, LGBT, Makvan Mouloodzadeh, Makwan Moloudzadeh, Paula Ettelbrick

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Iran: Young Man Executed for Alleged Sex Crime

For Immediate Release
Contact: Hossein Alizadeh, IGLHRC Communications Coordinator, 212-430-6016

(New York, Wednesday December 5, 2007) – The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has learned today that despite an order by the Iranian Chief Justice to nullify his death sentence, Mr. Makvan Mouloodzadeh was executed in Kermanshah Central Prison at 5 a.m. this morning, Iranian time. Neither Mr. Mouloodzadeh’s family or his lawyer were told about the execution until after it occurred. IGLHRC is still investigating the facts in this case.

“This is a shameful and outrageous travesty of justice and international human rights law,” said Paula Ettelbrick, IGLHRC’s executive director. “How many more young Iranians have to die before the international community takes action?”

Mr. Mouloodzadeh was a 21-year-old Iranian citizen who was accused of committing anal rape (ighab) with other young boys when he was 13 years old. However, at Mr. Mouloodzadeh’s trial, all the witnesses retracted their pre-trial testimonies, claiming to have lied to the authorities under duress. Makvan also told the court that his confession was made under coercion and pleaded not guilty. On June 7, 2007, the Seventh District Criminal Court of Kermanshah in Western Iran found him guilty and sentenced him to death. Despite his lawyer’s appeal, the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence on August 1, 2007. The case caused an international uproar, and prompted a letter writing campaign by IGLHRC and similar actions by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Outrage! and Everyone Group.

In response to mounting public pressure, and following a detailed petition submitted to the Iranian Chief Justice by Mr. Mouloodzadeh’s lawyer, the Iranian Chief Justice, Ayatollah Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, nullified the impending death sentence of Mr. Mouloodzadeh. In his November 10, 2007 opinion (1/86/8607), the Iranian Chief Justice described the death sentence to be in violation of Islamic teachings, the religious decrees of high-ranking Shiite clerics, and the law of the land.

In accordance with Iranian legal procedure, Mr. Mouloodzadeh’s case was sent to the Special Supervision Bureau of the Iranian Justice Department, a designated group of judges who are responsible for reviewing and ordering retrials of flawed cases flagged by the Iranian Chief Justice. However, in defiance of the Chief Justice, the judges decided to ratify the original court’s ruling and ordered the local authorities to carry out the execution.

Mr. Mouloodzadeh’s execution came days after a panel at the UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty.

You can read IGLHRC’s action alert on our website:
http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/section.php?id=5&detail=797

Our Letter to the Iranian authorities is also posted on our website in both English and Persian:
http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/section.php?id=5&detail=798

Iran: State Murder For Sex at 13
The Tragic Case of Makwan Moloudzadeh by Doug Ireland

10 Comments

  1. Roberto Malini

    December 6, 2007 at 6:21 pm

    IRAN, THE DEATH SENTENCE OF MAKWAN, THE YOUNG GAY MAN, HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT

    GRUPPO EVERYONE: “STATE CRIME BECOMES A WORLDWIDE SYMBOL AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA”

    WHILE THE HEARTS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED BY GRUPPO EVERYONE IS UNDERWAY TO SAVE THE LIFE OF 21-YEAR-OLD MAKWAN MOLOUDZADEH, THE NEWS COMES IN FROM TEHERAN OF HIS EXECUTION. HE WAS PUT TO DEATH YESTERDAY MORNING, WITHOUT EVEN HIS LAWYER OR NEXT-OF-KIN BEING INFORMED.

    Makwan Moloudzadeh was 21-years-old. He was murdered by his butchers inside Kermanshah prison where he was detained after being sentenced to death for “lavat” (sodomy). The boy, according to the Iranian judges, was “guilty” of having loved a peer when he was 13 and having sexual intercourse with him. The execution took place yesterday (December 5th, 2007) in the above-mentioned prison in the north-west of Iran at five in the morning (Iranian time). The sentence was carried out among the total silence of the press, institutions and associations. They did not even trouble to inform Makwan’s lawyer, father and uncle, with whom Gruppo EveryOne (who had just launched the international “hearts campaign” to save Makwan’s life) was in contact with.

    “We were devastated to hear the news” say the leaders of EveryOne Roberto Malini, Matteo Pegoraro and Dario Picciau. “We are still receiving hundreds of emails from all over the world in support of the campaign for Makwan’s life; from international political figures, activists and everyday citizens. The news of his death has stunned everyone, because only a few days ago the Iranian Head of the Judiciary, l’Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi had suspended the sentence, manifesting the intention of granting Makwan a pardon”. Gruppo EveryOne will remember Makwan Moloudzadeh and his martyrdom with an annual prize awarded to those who play an important role in the fight for human rights and against homophobia. The Makwan Moloudzadeh 2007 Prize is awarded to Glenys Robinson, a British citizen who lives in Italy, who showed great sensitivity and commitment in the campaign to secure the release of Pegah Emambakhsh. Glenys is now a member of EveryOne and devotes time and energy to our human rights projects. “They have murdered Makwan, but his memory lives on in all of us, and it calls on Iran and the whole world to abandon discrimination against gays and lesbians. We must call for a firm protest on an international level and bring a charge against Amadinejad and his Government for crimes against humanity” say the leaders of EveryOne “but before that we have to create a strong worldwide network that is prepared to report cases of this kind and to undertake immediate action that will stop these executions. Democratic countries must also examine their own consciences and realise that the fight against homophobia starts with an equal recognition of homosexual unions, because without this fundamental right gays and lesbians are condemned to be segregated.”

    For Gruppo EveryOne : Roberto Malini, Matteo Pegoraro, Dario Picciau, Ahmad Rafat, Glenys Robinson, Arsham Parsi, Christos Papaioannou, Steed Gamero, Fabio Patronelli, Laura Todisco, Alessandro Matta

    For further information:
    Gruppo EveryOne
    (+ 39) 334-8429527
    http://www.everyonegroup.com :: info@everyonegroup.com

    Reply
  3. Hiva S

    December 8, 2007 at 9:47 pm

    I am a resident of Paveh, the town where Makwan lived in. I knew him very well, everyone knows that he was innocent or at least did not deserve that inhumane verdict which was issued by a gang of criminals who are supposedly in charge of justice in Iran. I have to tell you the truth behind what led to the shocking death of Makwan. The youth living in Paveh are Kurds and Sunnis, they are deprived of a variety of rights, the majority of them are jobless and the town has always faced suppression form the regime after the revolution, for political activities. Now the youth in town are filled with an anger accumulated over years of injustice. To create an atmosphere of fear, the regime sacrificed Makwan so that the youth will not dare to protest against any thing. They executed him and used him just as an excuse to pursue their political purposes behind the scenes. The move, however, has been condemned by the whole residents in the town and has created an atmosphere of unity and awareness among the public. They attended his funeral in masses which was in fact a demonstration against what the regime decided as part of its suppressive policies.
    I hereby call on all international rights groups to pursue the case of those behind the decision which led to the death of an innocent youth. The right activists across the world have to fulfill their duty of justice and do their best to bring before law those who issued the unfair verdict and now are walking freely with no sense of guilt.
    Thank You.

    Reply
  4. Omar Kuddus

    December 29, 2007 at 10:11 pm

    What can one say, for there are no word that come to mind to show the anger, frustration and inhumanity of the act. There are no words and its time the homosexual community in the west finally showed its protest and disgust.

    The Iranian President says we have no homosexuals, in Iran but hangs Makwan for the crime of Homosexuality.

    The Iranian Minister Mohsen Yahyavi (who is the highest- ranked politician to admit that Iran believes in the death penalty for homosexuality) told British MP’s at the Inter-Parliamentary Union in May this year, that homosexuals should be executed [he initially said tortured but changed it to executed].
    And Iran again and again keeps its word, by torture, hangings, stoning and execution
    For homosexuality/ perceived moral crimes.

    It could be any of us who are LGBT, who is in that position, if not for the roll of the dice that allowed us to be born in the West,

    Now the Netherlands are trying to deport another young Iranian, “Mehdi” back to the UK to be sent back to the Islamic Republic of Iran, to face a similar fate.
    Just how many more (including my partner of over two years), have to live in fear for their lives just because they are Kurdish or Iranian and gay.

    Reply
  5. Aristotle

    April 25, 2008 at 12:53 am

    I was shocked to read this story. There are no words to describe this inhuman act. Only animals could behave in this way and kill a teenager because he loved when he was at the sensitive age of 13. He was not a criminal, he was a normal person like everyone, but unfortunately some people in his country were and still are too narrow-minded to see that. Dont these murderers know anything about Human Rights, Democracy, compassion??

    Face it: Love has no borders and limits.

    From Greece and Cyprus we express our deepest sympathies for the death of this innocent man, we condemn this unlawful action and we promise to be on your side on your fight for justice.

    Reply
  6. adirup

    September 4, 2008 at 5:03 am

    Iran will got ot he nearest hell for its inhuman acts against humanity – for what it does to its won innocent citizens – all extremists /terrorists crating terror on the name of religion killing innocent youth would have to go to hell – IRAN YOU WILL GO TO HELL 1 DAY

    Reply
  7. adirup

    September 4, 2008 at 5:05 am

    HOW CAn THEY kill such an innocent younth ,who is just so young – barely 21 -who has barely seen life -how can they do such inhuman acts against there own people – is Islam so inhuman – ?

    Reply
  8. Anonymous

    April 7, 2009 at 8:17 pm

    How much more teens have to die before international communities take any action?

    Reply
  9. Mike

    February 1, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    Appalled and full of despair at this story….convinced that only the use of force against Iranian diplomats and their families world wide will help cause the collapse of the disgusting and devilish regime that passes for legitimate government in Iran.

    Reply
  10. James C. Vaughan

    October 9, 2011 at 12:08 am

    I say that here is where a real faith in Allah is all that can keep me from killing myself. Ayaz M. and Mahmoud A.. Ali A. and Mokhtar N. Makwan M. And these are just a few of around 4000! And this does not even begin to count all the virgin girls raped (so that they would go to hell, if you can believe that reasoning!) and executed – including their suicides. I must believe firmly that all these poor victims are in the presence of Allah in paradise. And I tremble to think what will happen when these evil murderous men face the wrath of an enraged God.

    Reply

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