Earlier this year I posted about a 14-year-old boy shot on his doorstep because fundamentalist Iraqis who had infiltrated the police force suspected he was gay. The situation there for LGBT citizens is rapidly worsening (like everything else in Iraq) according to the British LGBT activist group Outrage, which has been providing support for gay groups there.
Five young Iraqi gay activists, the owner of a Baghdad men's clothing shop who had been financially supporting gay men under target from death squads, and four employees of the Jar al-Qamar barbershop in the al-Karada district of Baghdad were kidnapped in November and haven't been heard from since.
It is feared that all have been killed by Iraqi death squads masquerading as police, according to Ali Hili. Hili is a gay Iraqi Muslim living in Britain who is the Middle East spokesman for Outrage.
Said Hili: “They are systematically targeting gays and lesbians for extra-judicial execution, as part of their so-called moral purification campaign. The aim of the death squads is the creation of a fundamentalist state, along the lines of the religious dictatorship in Iran…Two militias are doing most of the killing. They are the armed wings of parties in the Bush and Blair-backed Iraqi government. Badr is the militia of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, which is the leading political force in Baghdad's government coalition. Madhi is the militia of Muqtada al-Sadr.”
The young activists had been providing information to Hili regarding the homophobic executions and providing safe houses to those in danger. Hili's last communication with them was interrupted by a “a lot of noise” and ended in silence.
The UK gay rights group OutRage! is appealing for funds to help the work of their LGBT liaisons in Iraq. Anyone wishing to assist can send a check payable to “OutRage!”, with a cover note marked “For Iraqi LGBT”, to OutRage!, PO Box 17816, London SW14 8WT, England, UK.
Ten Gay Men Abducted in Iraq Feared Dead [out in america]
Death Squads Rounding Up Baghdad Gays British Rights Monitor Says [365gay]
