July 25
RUSSIA/IRAN:
Following Gay Executions, Putin Asked to Stop Diplomatic and Trade
Relations With Iran
Russian gay leaders have sent a letter to the President of Russia,
Vladimir Putin, asking him to condemn executions of teenage gays in Iran
on July 19.
In their letter signed by Head of GayRussia.ru, Nikolai Alekseev; Head of
Gayly.ru, Valeri Kamov; lesbian leader Evgeniaya Debryanskaya and
journalist Nikolai Baev, they asked the Russian President to use all the
possible diplomatic ways of pressure in order to stop criminal
prosecutions for homosexuality in Iran.
They asked President Putin to stop diplomatic and trade relations with
what they called the "barbarian regime of Islamic extremists."
Russia is still one of the biggest economic partners of Iran and
consequently has may ways to pressure the regime.
Russian gay leaders also send a letter to the Ambassador of Iran in Russia
asking him to take measures so that such executions are not repeated as
the right to life is universal and is guaranteed to all human beings.
The letter to the Russian President V. Putin in full:
Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich,
We would like to pay your attention to the event that happened in the
Islamic Republic of Iran on 19 July 2005, the execution via hanging of 2
young boys for the only fact of entering into homosexual relations. One of
the boys was 18 while the other even did not reach that age.
Projects GayRussia.Ru and Gayly.Ru join the international condemnation of
this barbarian act and ask you to use all the pressure with the aim to
stop executions and criminal prosecutions of the persons of homosexual
orientation in Iran. Homosexual relations are not a crime in the developed
democratic countries, moreover more countries pass laws legalizing
same-sex marriages and unions.
International gay community is outraged and appeals to the authorities of
all democratic states to stop diplomatic and trade relations with the
regime that executes guilty people, including children. We address the
same request to you. Russian Federation can not close the eyes to the
middle aged barbarity and huge human rights violations.
We hope for your understanding and assistance!
Faithfully yours,
N. Alekseev, Head GayRussia.Ru
V. Kamov, Head Gayly.Ru
E. Debryanskaya, Leader of the Russian lesbian movement
N. Baev, Journalist
(source: UK Gay News)
