venerdì 30 novembre 2007

Urjent Action - Help Stop deportation of gay Iranian from the US

To Whom It May Concern

IRQO is an international, non-profit, queer human rights organization based in

Toronto, Canada with key workers in Europe and Iran. IRQO helps Iranian gay,

lesbian, bisexual and transgendered refugees all over the world. We help when

Iranian lesbians or gay men who are threatened with deportation back to Iran.

We also help Iranian LGBTs (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) obtain asylum

in friendly countries.

Iranian who are homosexuals are a uniquely identified group who are severely

looked down upon and subject to mistreatment and humiliation, including

torture at the hands of the current Islamic Republic of Iran for their sexual

orientation. Homophobia runs deep into the Iranian government policies and

homosexuality is considered a criminal act, punishable by lashing, hanging,

stoning, cutting in half by a sword, or other methods of torture.

However, IRQO believes in a brighter future and would not let the hatred stop

us from achieving our hopes of becoming useful members of society.

Hassan Parhizkar is a homosexual Iranian national, currently in the USA and

being threatened with being deported back to Iran by ICE [Immigration and

Customs Enforcement]

IRQO is deeply concerned that Hassan Parhizkar would be subject to torture and

would face the death penalty upon his deportation to Iran on account of his

homosexuality. The U.S. Government’s action in deporting Mr. Parhizkar to Iran

is clearly prohibited by the United Nations Convention Against Torture and

Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment, ratified by the United

States in 1992, and by congressionally enacted policy giving effect to CAT. As

the United States congress made clear, it is the policy of the United States

not to:

Expel, extradite, or otherwise effect the involuntary return of any person to

a country in which there are substantial grounds for believing the person

would be in danger of being subjected to torture, regardless of whether the

person is physically present in the United States.

The signataries of this letter do so in testimony and support of Hassan

Parhizkar’s request for relief from the U.S. government to stop his

deportation to Iran and for acceptance of his deferred action request as

witnesses for the tortures and persecution suffered by Iranian gay and lesbian

nationals by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Sincerely yours,

The undersigned

please sign here:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ irqo-hassan

IRanian Queer Organization - IRQO

Formerly Persian Gay & Lesbian Organization - PGLO

www.irqo.net

info@irqo.net

tel: 001-416-548- 4171

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