IRAN. YOUNG MAN EXECUTED

December 5, 2007: the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) learned that Mr Makvan Mouloodzadeh was executed in Kermanshah Central Prison at 5am, Iranian time.
Neither Mr Mouloodzadeh's family or his lawyer were told about the execution until after it occurred. Mr Mouloodzadeh was a 21 year old Iranian citizen who was accused of committing anal rape (ighab) with other young boys when he was 13 years old.
However, at Mr Mouloodzadeh's trial, all the witnesses retracted their pre-trial testimonies, claiming to have lied to the authorities under duress. Makvan also told the court that his confession was made under coercion and pleaded not guilty.
On June 7, 2007, the Seventh District Criminal Court of Kermanshah in Western Iran found him guilty and sentenced him to death. Despite his lawyer's appeal, the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence on August 1, 2007.
In response to mounting public pressure, and following a detailed petition submitted to the Iranian Chief Justice by Mr. Mouloodzadeh's lawyer, the Iranian Chief Justice, Ayatollah Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, nullified the impending death sentence of Mr. Mouloodzadeh.
Mr. Mouloodzadeh's case was sent to the Special Supervision Bureau of the Iranian Justice Department however the judges ratified the original court's ruling. (Sources: GayRepublic.org, 05/12/2007)