When Being a Lesbian Gets You Killed: Help Save Kiana Farouz

[Ben Lahnger]

When Being a Lesbian Gets You Killed: Help Save Kiana Farouz

May 12, 2010 - copied from Violet Blue's blog

SOURCE

Last night I had the privilege — and I mean that in every sense — to attend the private 20th anniversary dinner for The International Women’s Media Foundation. We seldom hear how dangerous it is for women who work in media outside of Western countries: journalists, filmmakers, photographers. (Although I did reflect that I have not had a death threat or suggestion of violence to my person since I stopped writing for SFGate.) After going to an event for the organization that helps, encourages and rewards women who bravely risk their lives to create media, I’m astonished to read that the UK has denied filmmaker Kiana Firouz asylum.

Please take a minute to learn about what Firouz is going through, and help make some noise about this. She is a 27-year-old filmmaker, actress, and outspoken LGBT activist who is from Iran. Her country, if she is forced to return, will punish her for “acts of lesbianism” as seen in her most recent film. The punishment for this is “100 lashes.” If she is found guilty of “the unspeakable sin of homosexuality” — and as she is a lesbian, and as Iranian media has publicized her sexual orientation — the punishment is execution by public hanging.

I highly recommend that you read about what she’s going through right now, and about the documentary film “Cul de Sac” that she is in, profiling the conditions of lesbians in Iran. The film is based heavily on Firouz’s life story. I find it somewhat ironic that the film was produced in the UK, and that the UK has refused Firouz’s application for asylum. It can’t be better now that the UK has a new conservative government that is “tough on immigration.” The film premieres in London this weekend.

There is a petition for Firouz here. I have to ask, is this all we can do? Read more in the Coilhouse post Save The Life Of Kiana Firouz. Read about the film, and why they made it, in On Film, The Trials Of An Iranian Lesbian Activist.

Will everyone who reads this will at least go sign the petition? I hope you will do more. No one deserves to die for the public disclosure of their sexual orientation. - Ben

[Saya]

Thanks Ben, I saw this last night on the Feministing blog but I had a lot of trouble finding a news source! Why is no one in the media reporting this?

[Tam Li Hua]

Wait...so which is it? Will she receive 100 lashes only, be hanged only, or will she receive 100 lashes and THEN be hung?

It's entirely possible that there are other reasons behind denying her asylum than just what we know from this news article.

I find the Internet petition suspect, since I'm not sure that Internet petitions are really all that effective for most causes...but I could be wrong.

[Saya]

She would get 100 lashes the first two times she's found guilty of being a lesbian, and then hanged. Also, since she's been very vocal about human rights and has taken part in lesbian sex scenes in the up and coming movie about her life, chances are she's going to be killed on return.

Also, even if its "just" 100 lashes, thats still cruel and unusual punishment. Countries have given asylum for I suppose what you could call lesser reasons.

The petition isn't the most you can do. Write to media outlets about this asking that they run the story. Tweet about it, facebook it, blog it, write to your British embassy, do anything to get this attention.

[Ben Lahnger]

For instance, she could be found guilty of being a lesbian once for each lesbian act depicted in the movie, plus any time anything else asserts it in the movie, plus once for every time it was reported in the British press.

Oh, it's a certainty she will receive the hanging (after the lashes, of course) immediately after a swift trial upon being sent home. And the British government which is denying her asylum will have played a role in providing the evidence that is used to convict her.

[ape descendant]

:'( Grrrr fucking relgious law. Homophobic sons of bitches. Lesbians are awesome and should not be killed for being such. :'(

[d0p3y]

I am a Male lesbian, so I am Twice as Outraged By this.

[Underwater Ophelia]

Do we know why the UK is denying her asylum? Are they afraid of angering Iran?

[vindicatedxjin]

This is absolutely horrible.

[Ben Lahnger]

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

Do we know why the UK is denying her asylum? Are they afraid of angering Iran?

It's been an election year and we're talking about politicians. My guess is no one wants to be painted with the "friend of lesbians" brush. Sad, in the year 2010.

It's possible, as your question suggests, that she's done something politically or legally that has biased the process against her ... or it's a political concern. But I can't imagine anything that justifies the decision, "Well, it's not our problem that she will be put to death if we return her to Iran."

[Underwater Ophelia]

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

It's been an election year and we're talking about politicians. My guess is no one wants to be painted with the "friend of lesbians" brush. Sad, in the year 2010.

It's possible, as your question suggests, that she's done something politically or legally that has biased the process against her ... or it's a political concern. But I can't imagine anything that justifies the decision, "Well, it's not our problem that she will be put to death if we return her to Iran."

No, I wasn't intentionally implying she'd done something wrong that would affect her likelihood of being granted asylum, I just wanted to know how the UK is treating it. I mean, what reason are they giving?

[HumanePain]

I hope the U.S intervenes; surely she could qualify for asylum here?

[Ben Lahnger]

I don't see how that's possible. The U.K. is preparing to deport her.

To Ophelia's point, I am searching for an explanation for the refusal of the Home Office to consider her application for asylum. Here's some clarification from the Group For International Cooperation On Human Rights Culture - these remarks are excerpted from the article at that link:

Kiana Firouz, 27 years old, actress and lesbian activist from Teheran, Iran, has long been engaged in the battle against the discrimination and persecution of homosexuals by the Ahmadinejad regime. After photograms of her video documentary on the condition of lesbians and gays fell into the hands of the Iranian intelligence, agents began to follow and intimidate her. Concerned about her safety, Kiana left Teheran and sought refuge in the U.K., where she could continue her work and studies.

She filed for asylum but her application was rejected by the Home Office even though the Ministry recognized her being persecuted for her sexual orientation and despite the fact that the Ministry is well aware that under Islamic law homosexuality is considered a heinous crime punishable by hanging and that gays and lesbians are enemies of Allah.

Kiana filed for a court appeal following the Home Office’s decision to reject her application for asylum, but the judge overruled her appeal According to Kiana’s lawyer, the last remaining chance is to appeal the judge’s decision, but the risk of deportation is imminent.

Kiana has also launched a petition against the decision to have her deported to Iran.

The EveryOne Group, an international human rights organization, which was involved in the asylum cases of the lesbian Pegah Emambakhsh, who risked being deported from London to Teheran in 2007, and of the Iranian gay, Mehdi Kazemi, appeals to the British government and the democratic forces of the European Union, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, that Kiana Firouz be immediately guaranteed adequate humanitarian protection and that the order for her deportation be repealed, given that on return to Iran she will face a death sentence not only because a lesbian but because of her civil rights activism.

The EveryOne activists invite concerned readers to send protest e-mail messages to the British Home Office (public.enquiries(at)homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk) requesting that Kiana receive refugee status as soon as possible, for she is a symbol of the international fight against homophobia and repression of gays and lesbians in Islamic countries.

So while that doesn't give the reason, it does show the U.K. has a history of making decisions like this. I'm still researching this.

[Ben Lahnger]

This is the email I sent to the Home Office (at the address listed above):

Subject: Save the life of Kiana Firouz

Dear Sir(s),

I am writing you today in the desire to join my voice to that of the many people around the world watching the plight of Kiana Firouz. I humbly implore that she be immediately guaranteed adequate humanitarian protection and that the order for her deportation be repealed, given that on return to Iran she will face a death sentence not only because a lesbian but because of her civil rights activism.

While I live in the United States, it's important to know that the eyes of the world are on the United Kingdom today. We look to you to be one of the beacons of freedom and tolerance and to be champions of human rights around the world. I am humbly requesting that Kiana receive refugee status as soon as possible, for she is a symbol of the international fight against homophobia and repression of gays and lesbians in Islamic countries.

[Underwater Ophelia]

Why let her come to the UK if they're just going to send her back KNOWING she'll be killed?

If a country wants to stay out of it, they should stay out of it.

[Ben Lahnger]

Well, I agree on that.

(BTW ... I'm aware of the sig and am working on it.)

[JCC]

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

It's been an election year and we're talking about politicians. My guess is no one wants to be painted with the "friend of lesbians" brush. Sad, in the year 2010.

In America that would be the case, in the UK parties trip over themselves to show how much they love the gays, the Conservatives have had to do some serious backpedaling over their anti-homosexual attitudes the last time they were in office.

[Ben Lahnger]

Thank you for the clarification.

[SeanS]

This is saddening I hope the UK actually stands up and grant her asylum because no one should be killed simply because they prefer the vagina rather than the penis.

[KontanKarite]

I signed the petition, sent those dudes a letter, and posted all this info on okcupid so that others can do the same or more.

[Despanan]

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

Why let her come to the UK if they're just going to send her back KNOWING she'll be killed?

If a country wants to stay out of it, they should stay out of it.

[Ben Lahnger]

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

Why let her come to the UK if they're just going to send her back KNOWING she'll be killed?

If a country wants to stay out of it, they should stay out of it.

Since they didn't, what are you going to do about it?

[Underwater Ophelia]

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

Since they didn't, what are you going to do about it?

That's a good point, and to be honest, probably nothing. It isn't that I don't care, it's that I don't care enough for this not to be swallowed up by all the other random things going on.

Actually.

PM me with the address I can send a letter to in support of Farouz getting asylum.

[Ben Lahnger]

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

That's a good point, and to be honest, probably nothing. It isn't that I don't care, it's that I don't care enough for this not to be swallowed up by all the other random things going on.

Actually.

PM me with the address I can send a letter to in support of Farouz getting asylum.

Done. And thank you for considering it.

[ThenAgain]

I can't seem to find an email address, where did you send your email?