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Aanstaande vrijdag of zaterdag worden volgens verschillende mensenrechtenorganisaties opnieuw twee jongens ter dood gebracht in Iran, omdat zij zich ‘schuldig’ zouden hebben gemaakt aan homoseks. Emine Bozkurt, PvdA-europarlementariër en lid van de Gay & Lesbian Rights Intergroup in het Europees Parlement, is woedend. In juli protesteerde haar collega Thijs Berman al tegen de executie van twee minderjarige homo´s en nu, amper een maand later, gebeurt het opnieuw.
Patroon
“Er lijkt een patroon in te zitten,” zegt Emine Bozkurt.’Iran klaagt de jongens aan wegens verkrachting, maar mensenrechtenorganisaties zeggen dat daar vaak helemaal geen sprake van is.’ Bozkurt heeft inmiddels de Europese Commissie en de Europese lidstaten opgeroepen actie te ondernemen. ‘Er moet worden onderzocht of Iran inderdaad onder valse voorwendselen homo’s ter dood brengt. Ondertussen moeten alle executies worden opgeschort. Als Iran daar niet naar luistert dan moeten er sancties volgen.’ Bozkurt pleit er ook voor dat voorlopig geen homoseksuele asielzoekers teruggezonden worden naar Iran.
Wake
Emine Bozkurt neemt aanstaande vrijdag 26 augustus in Amsterdam deel aan een wake die het COC organiseert bij het Homomonument van 22.00 tot 24.00 uur.
Eerder deze maand tijdens Amsterdam Pride ontving Emine Bozkurt uit handen van COC-voorzitter Frank van Dalen een petitie met ruim 18.000 handtekeningen uit protest tegen de terechtstellingen in Iran.
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schriftelijke vragen
die Bozkurt over deze kwestie gesteld heeft aan Eurocommissarissen Benita Ferrero-Waldner (buitenlandse betrekkingen), Peter Mandelson (handel) en Franco Frattini (justitie) en aan Javier Solana, de ‘minister van buitenlandse zaken’ van de Europese Unie.
To the attention of European Commissioners Ferrero-Waldner, Mandelson and Frattini and the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana.
Concerning: executions of homosexuals in Iran.
Following other recent executions of gay teenagers in Iran, it seems that the country will again execute two young men on the 27th or 28th of August. According to the Persian Gay and Lesbian Organization (PGLO) and the International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR), both Ahmad Choka and Farbod Mosta´ar will be executed at the end of this week in the Iranian city of Araq. Though reportedly they have been charged with and convicted for the crime of rape, the human rights organizations raise the possibility that Iran uses false rape charges in order to execute persons simply because they have engaged in consensual homosexual acts. This would go against all international human rights obligations of Iran, and would make it necessary for the European Union to use all its influence to stop these executions. It should be investigated whether or not Iran executes people for engaging in consensual homosexual acts and hides this by charging them with rape. Pending such investigations the imminent execution of Ahmad Choka and Farbod Mosta´ar should not be allowed to continue. I ask the High Representative and the Commissioners to take the following steps, depending on their respective responsibilities;
– Iran should be told that execution of people based on their sexual orientation is contrary to the international human rights obligations that country has.
– Iran should be asked for clarification concerning the recent and upcoming executions.
– The EU should do all in its power to investigate or support investigation of the recent and upcoming executions of homosexuals.
– EU member state governments should be informed about the upcoming executions and those which took place in the recent past.
– EU member states should be asked not to send gay Iranian asylum seekers back to Iran, at least pending investigations, a measure already adopted by my own country, The Netherlands.
– The EU must make clarification of the issue and an immediate stop to the execution of people engaging in consensual homosexual acts a condition in all its negotiations with Iran, not only by including human rights clauses in final agreements but also by suspending ongoing negotiations should Iran fail to comply. If necessary, all possible economic and diplomatic sanctions should be considered in order to stop the execution of innocent people.
Emine Bozkurt
Member of the European Parliament for the European Socialists,
Member of the Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights.