The Islamic Republic of Iran has been persecuting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children, as per a recent UN report. According to the UN Special Rapporteur for the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javaid Rehman, there have been reports of persecution of sexual minorities in Iran.
Rehman is concerned at "reports that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children were subjected to electric shocks and the administration of hormones and strong psychoactive medications," the Jerusalem Post said.
"These practices amount to torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and violate the State's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child," the official said.
'Iran Regularly Executes LGBTQ+ Individuals'
Earlier, a report by the Council for Foreign Relations had stated that Iran was among the few countries that still executed people convicted of having engaged in same sex relations. "Around seventy countries continue to criminalize homosexual activity, and in twelve countries adults who engage in consensual same-sex acts can still face the death penalty. In countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Qatar, these measures tend not to be enforced even if they are legally permissible, but Iran still regularly executes LGBTQ+ individuals," the report said.
In 2019, the US and Germany had blasted Iran after Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif justified and supported the execution of homosexual people.
"Our society has moral principles. And we live according to these principles. These are moral principles concerning the behavior of people in general. And that means that the law is respected and the law is obeyed," the minister had said in reply to a question by a journalist from German tabloid Bild.
6,000 Gays and Lesbians Killed Since 1979 Revolution
Iranian rights activists have long been highlighting the plight of homosexual people in the country. "Many homosexuals tell us of abuse, torture and threats faced by their families and friends. As long as the country's laws do not change, the situation of homosexuals in Iran will not improve," Iranian writer Shadi Amin told DW-Farsi. "Humiliation, repression and sexual harassment of a particular social group should be viewed critically and prohibited by law," she added.
According to The Post, a 2008 British WikiLeaks cable leak had revealed that the Iranian regime around 6,000 gays and lesbians since the 1979 revolution.
Peter Tatchell, a British LGBTQ+ and human rights campaigner, said it was shocking that LGBT+ children are subjected to electric shocks, hormone treatments and psychoactive medications. The cruel practice trying to change sexual orientation gender identity through torture echo the Nazis and other fascist regimes.
"Javaid Rehman rightly condemns these abuses as a form of torture and in violation of international human rights law. Iran should be expelled from international medical associations and conferences," Tatchell added.
