On Thursday (10), Iranian authorities reported the arrest of at least 17 homosexuals who were participating in a birthday party at a hall in Kermanshah, on the border with Iraq.
According to information from The Guardian, the men left the scene blindfolded and had their cell phones confiscated. The police stated that the group was already under investigation and that, in addition to being homosexuals, it is a group of "devil worshipers".
In Iran, anyone who is homosexual or is involved with homosexuality, such as, for example, "hiding" a relative, can be severely punished. Punishments vary according to your sexual practice. Passive gays are sentenced to the death penalty while active ones are flogged with 100 lashes.
Journalist arrested
In September 2007, former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied that homosexuals existed in Iran. Journalist Siamak Ghaderi, who worked for a news agency, decided to publish a series of reports about the lives of homosexuals in the Islamic country.
After the repercussion of the articles, Ghaderi was arrested and later sentenced to prison. The journalist is currently serving a four-year sentence for "insulting the president" and "spreading propaganda against the regime". According to the international press, Ghaderi received 60 lashes during a flogging in 2012.
