An Iranian Gay Man at Risk of Deportation from France

24 July 2007

Hamid is a 21 years-old homosexual man from Iran. He fled country because of his sexual orientation and has been staying in France for about one and half year now. He was arrested by the police a few days ago in Paris and since that day, 18 July 2007, he has been kept in a detention room. Unfortunately French authorities are going to deport him back to Iran. They are dealing with Iranian Embassy in Paris about this issue.

He MUST not be deported back to Iran, and he needs our support NOW.

IRQO has been in touch with Cimad Organization in Paris so you can send your support letters and letters of reproving of his deportation to this organization: they will refer those letters to the government.

You can also fax your letters to: 0033-15-509-2076

Or email it to: info@irqo.net

The government of France must not deport Hamid back to where he’ll be tortured. Read Mr. Philippe DOUSTE-BLAZY, Ministary of Forigne Affair's letter on 26.Apr.2006 about Iranian homosexuals in French and English, Bellow.

From: French Republic

26 AVR.06 007075CM Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Paris

Persian Gay and Lesbian Organization:

With the greatest attention I read your letter dated on March 15, 2006, through which you have shared significant information about the situation of homosexual people in Iran with me.  In too many countries, homosexuality is considered as a penal infringement, and as a crime.  For ten of these countries, including Iran as you have rightly mentioned it, the highest punishment that might incur is the death sentence.  France wishes the abolition of the discriminatory legislations of Iran’s government, and highly condemns the Islamic government’s rules against homosexuals.  These rules utterly violate the major human rights that are acknowledged under many international human rights agreements and Western accepted constitutions.  Strongly standing for these acknowledged human and civil rights is why, at the time of the 61éme commission of human rights, France, like many other countries, joined the declaration of denouncing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in any part of the world.  In addition, we supported the World Organization’s project with participation of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations to defend the rights of homosexuals on economic and social grounds.  Among the organizations that we have been knowing and supporting in past are the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and the Danish National Association for Gays and Lesbians.  I must include that by taking these steps, we have confronted the opposition and denial of the theocratic Iranian government along with some other ultraconservative governments. 

Due to its commitment to abolish the execution of gays and lesbians worldwide, the European Union vigorously objected the Iranian (Islamic) court’s death sentencing two young homosexuals (one of whom was a 16 years old teenager), in addition to similar cases and verdicts that took place in Nigeria and Sudan.  The fight against death penalty and all forms of discrimination constitutes one of our top priorities as a member of the Union.  France allocates huge amounts of enriched human and financial resources and receives help and cooperation of other countries, international organizations and conventions to make further and better changes in social and legal aspects of homosexuals’ life, and attempts to establish their rights in other parts of the world too.  No one should be discriminated because of his/her sexual orientation: This right belongs to each and every person on the planet, and no one person should be authorized to interfere and infringe upon the others’ private life matters based on self-judgement and self-belief. 

Sincerely yours

Philippe Douste-Blazy

France Foreign Affairs Minister

April 26, 2006

République française                                                                            

Paris, le 26 AVR.06    007075CM

Ministère des affaires étrangères

Délégué de l’organisation  PGLO 

C’est avec la plus grande attention que j’ai lu votre lettre en date Du 15 mars 2006, par la quelle vous me faites part de la situation des personnes homosexuelles en iran.

 Dans de trop nombreux pays, l’homosexualité est considérée comme une infraction pénale, voire un crime. Pour une dizaine de ces pays, comme vous le rappelez à juste titre pour Iran, la peine encourue est la condamnation à mort. La France souhaite l’abolition des législations discriminatoires qu’elle condamne vivement en tant que constitutives d’une atteinte majeure et intolérable aux droite de chaque être humain. C’est pourquoi, lors de la 61éme commission des droits l’homme, la France s’est associée à une déclaration, comme de nombreux pays, visant à dénoncer les discriminations sur la base de l’orientation sexuelle.

Nous avons, par ailleurs, soutenu un projet destiné à conférer un statut consultatif auprès du conseil économique et social des nations unies aux associations de défense des droits des homosexuels (parmi lesquelles l’association internationale Lesbienne and gay  association,)

Et (Danish association for gay and lesbienne) auquel l’Iran ainsi que d’autres gouvernements se sont opposés.

Dans le cadre de son engagement en faveur de l’abolition de la peine de mort, l’union européenne est intervenue l’an dernier en faveur de jeunes homosexuels condamnés à la peine de mort en Iran, ainsi qu’auprès  du Nigeria en faveur d’hommes présumés homosexuels et condamnés pour sodomie.

La lutte contre la peine de mort et contre toutes les formes de discrimination constitue l’une de nos priorités. La France s’attache à  faire valoir, auprès des Etats et eu sein des organisations internationales, que nul ne saurait l’objet de discriminations en raison de son  orientation sexuelle : celle-ci appartient à la sphère privée et nul ne devrait en subir un quelconque préjudice.

Je vous prie de croire, monsieur, en l’assurance de mes sentiments les meilleurs.

 Philippe DOUSTE-BLAZY

Ministère des affaires étrangères