By RFE/RL
The UN’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran has expressed concern over reports that the country has subjected lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) children to “torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.”
In a report released last week, Javaid Rehman said such practices, which violate Iran’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, reportedly include “electric shocks and the administration of hormones and strong psychoactive medications.”
Rehman said that members of Iran’s LGBT community “are often advised that their gender nonconformity or same-sex attraction represents so-called gender identity disorder, which necessitates ‘reparative’ therapies or sex reassignment surgeries, to ‘cure’ them.” Read more via RFE/RL
Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javaid Rehman
The present report provides an overview of current human rights concerns in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the report, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran details observations regarding trends, concerns and progress made in the protection of human rights and puts forward recommendations to improve the human rights situation.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons (page 10)
27. The Special Rapporteur regrets that individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender experience human rights violations and widespread discrimination. Senior officials describe the community in hateful terms, including by labelling individuals as “subhuman” and “diseased”.
28. The death penalty can be imposed for consensual sexual activity between members of the same sex in the Islamic Republic of Iran, with its applicability dependent on the religion and marital status of the persons involved and the nature of the acts (passive or active) while “kissing and touching out of lust” between persons of the same sex is punishable by flogging. The criminalization of same-sex consensual acts legitimizes violence by State actors and private individuals, including the use of torture, beatings and rape by law enforcement and vigilantes. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons face regular harassment and, if arrested, are denied the right to a fair trial. Other forms of violence and discrimination include sustained domestic abuse and bullying in educational institutions and workplaces. These acts remain largely underreported due to the victims’ fear of persecution. The Government highlighted its recognition of transgender persons and claimed it had engaged in raising public awareness about their rights.
29. Substantial barriers are placed on lesbians and gays in accessing the health-care system. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons are often advised that their gender non-conformity or same-sex attraction represents so-called gender identity disorder, which necessitates “reparative” therapies or sex reassignment surgeries, to “cure” them. 85 The Government claimed that there were no restrictions on medical services and that any treatment was administered with consent. The Special Rapporteur is also concerned at reports that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children were subjected to electric shocks and the administration of hormones and strong psychoactive medications (CRC/C/IRN/CO/3-4, paras. 53–54). 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.
http://6rang.org/english/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Official-Hate-Speech-against-LGBT-People-inIran.pdf.
Islamic Penal Code, arts. 233–240.
https://outrightinternational.org/sites/default/files/OutRightLesbianReport.pdf, pp. 3 and 25; https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CCPR_NGO_IRN_4231 7_E.pdf, p. 14.
https://outrightinternational.org/sites/default/files/OutRightLesbianReport.pdf, pp. 14–17;
https://outrightinternational.org/sites/default/files/OutRightTransReport.pdf, pp. 31–32.
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CCPR_NGO_IRN_ 42317_E.pdf, p. 14; https://outrightinternational.org/sites/default/files/OutRightLesbianReport.pdf.
ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2019.pdf, p. 441.