By Guest Dan Littauer, 9.01.2012
Human Rights Officer
The secretary-general of the Iranian High Council for Human Rights described homosexuality as a western ”disease,” and said that same-sex marriage was “immoral,” according to a report of Radio Free Europe.
General Mohammad Javad Larijani allegedly made these remarks in Tehran during a visit by German Tom Koenigs, who chairs the human rights committee in Germany’s parliament.
“The West says that the marriage of homosexuals should be allowed under the human rights charter, however, we think it is sexual immorality and a disease,” he was quoted as stating to his German counterpart, in Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency.
This statement is consistent with the harsh sentences and treatment of LGBT people in Iran that enforces and enacts the death penalty for same-sex acts. In 2007, during a visit to Columbia University, USA, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad responded to reports of human rights abuses of LGBT people that “In Iran, we don’t have homosexuals like in your country,” he said. “In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don’t know who has told you we have that.”
Speaking with Gay Middle East, Gorji Marzban, Chairperson Oriental Queer Organisation (ORQOA), stated: “The Iranian High Council for Human Rights is a governmental body and part of the Ministry of Justice in Iran. So in this context, Larijani is trying to separate LGBT rights as being part and parcel of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. His offensive views clearly reflect the homophobic attitudes of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
“At any rate,” Marzban adds “it seems that Mr. Larijani accepts for the first time officially that homosexuals exist as a ‘disease’. Here he contradicts not only the official logic of the president but also the point for punishment by law: sickness cannot be immoral or punishable by death. Yet Iranian LGBT people exist everywhere, we are not sick or sinners nor is the issue of our Human rights one of disease!”
![speaker mel nathan](http://oblogdeeoblogda.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/africanhrc.png?w=300"%20alt="africanhrc"%20width="300"%20height="300"%20/></a>)
PoochParkWear customizes hoodies and t-shirts, the good, the naughty, the in between, whether proud or quirky let them be seen. We also offer biker jackets, croc or pleather collars, a variety of collar charms, and our special Zinja beaded collars made by a co-op of HIV-positive South African women, the Sisonke women who weave the beads onto the collars.
I love the argument that a disease cannot be a crime. But the first problem is that a general should be the head of the human rights official organisation, especially when Shirin Ebadi might be available.
How ever much they may call us all sort of names this will not deter us from fighting for our human rights of equality i believe homosexuality is a healthy form of sexuality
Yes, I did not mean to say it was not, only that the persecutors’ position was inconsistent. The main issue for me is that our sexuality is no threat to anyone, or to society. So even if it were unhealthy, seeking treatment should be the choice of the “sufferer”- the even if argument, even if what they say is true, it does not support their position- and it should not be criminal.