Alireza
Fazeli-Monfared, 20, was reportedly murdered
by his brother and cousins on Tuesday (4 May) after they discovered
the Iranian military exempted him from service because of “sexual depravities”.
At around 7pm
on Tuesday evening, Alireza spoke to his mother on the phone for the last time,
his best friend Aghil Abyat told Iran Wire.
Shortly
afterwards, his half-brother arrived at Alireza’s residence and said their
father needed to see him. Alireza was taken by car to the village of Borumi,
near the capital of Ahvaz, where his brother and cousins murdered and beheaded
him, before dumping his body by a tree.
Alireza had
been planning to flee Iran and join his boyfriend as a refugee in Turkey before
his death. His partner, activist Aghil Bayat, told Iranian LGBT+ network 6rang
that the killers called Alireza’s mother directly after the murder and told her
where to find his body.
Alireza’s
mother was “hospitalised with shock” following the murder, Bayat said. He later
told Radio Zamaneh that Alireza’s killers have been arrested.
LGBT+ people
are often targeted with violence by family members in Iran
In a
statement, 6rang hit out the the military exemption process that allowed
Alireza’s family to identify his sexuality.
“Alireza’s
killing as a result of his sexual orientation being stated on his military
service [exemption] card has once again provided proof for our warning several
years ago about the risks caused by the military service exemption process for
gay Iranian men and underlines the need for legislation to prevent these safety
risks,” 6rang said in a statement shared on Instagram, which was translated
by Iran International.
The advocacy
group had previously warned that the exemption process allows law enforcement
officials, the judiciary, employers and educational institutions to “identify
gay men with only one glance at the military service exemption card”.
The process
endangers members of the LGBT+ community in Iran, where homophobia and
transphobia are rife.
SOURCE: PINK NEWS
We gays in the states so much for granted. Hard to believe that such a thing as this senseless murder could still take place today. Very sad. And no one will be held accountable and nothing will change for those in Iran and Uganda and... the world is an ugly place.
ReplyDeleteSo absolutely sad.
ReplyDeleteToxic masculinity and religion are a hell of a hateful cocktail.
XOXO