Urgent petition to save the lives of 128 Homosexuals sentenced to death in Iraqi Jail

[pastradamus]

Please sign the Petition:http://www.petitiononline.com/iraqgay/petition.html



EveryOne Group and civil society in democratic countries have taken up the appeal from the IRAQI LGBT association, based in London, which calls on activists and democratic citizens to take part in an international campaign to save the lives of 128 prisoners sentenced to death because they are homosexual. According to the judicial and religious authorities, the prisoners will be murdered in groups of about 20 people. The first series of executions is imminent. Over the last three years 132 homosexuals have been put to death, including 17 Iraqi LGBT activists.
Arcigay has officially asked the Italian Government – through the Foreign Secretary – to support the international campaign against these executions that violate all the international charters in defence of human rights. EveryOne Group is asking the American institutions - which are still very influential in Iraq - to support this petition in favour of human rights and life, and invites all democratic citizens to send requests for clemency to the politicians and authorities who are able to put a stop to these executions

[LOLseph Stalin]

Thanks, I just signed. I think this is an very important issue that should definitely be addressed by the UN. The Iraqi government choosing to execute these prisoners simply because of their sexual orientation is clearly a human rights violation. It's sad when these things happen.

[Bitter Ashes]

Only 184 signatures. Come on people!
At the very least it's damn important that they know how unpopular this is!

[LOLseph Stalin]

Only 184 signatures. Come on people!
At the very least it's damn important that they know how unpopular this is!

I'm going to email the link to my friends. Don't worry. This is a very important issue, I agree.

[Bitter Ashes]

I'm going to email the link to my friends. Don't worry. This is a very important issue, I agree.
good idea. me too

[Rjevan]

I just signed. It's 260 signatures now.
This is really barbaric, there definitely are crimes which deserve death penalty, but being homosexual is no crime and it certainly doesn't deserve death penalty!

[Pogue]

i signed, 261 now.

[Bright Banana Beard]

This is shocking that some of you are apathetic, please save the lives!

[gorillafuck]

I just signed

279 now.

[Hegemonicretribution]

282 now, still seems kinda low, how many are expected?

[Glorious Union]

Signied it, signed it twice.

[RedAnarchist]

Just signed it, 289 signatures now.

[gorillafuck]

I made a note on facebook telling people to sign this and encouraging them to spread it to other people via their statuses and such.

[pastradamus]

282 now, still seems kinda low, how many are expected?

Sorry, Im very drunk now. Im after consuming a liter of vodka and many afew pints into the bargain. anywhooo, thanks guys for your contribution. Despite the fact im not of the homosexual orientation I nevertheless applaud the recent contribution. If one person signs the petition it will be worth my while. Thanks comrades for that much. But I will still stress that we must keep the ball rolling. The more votes the better and hegemonicretribution - We're looking for 10,000 signatures. Rise Revolt Resist comrades!!! Stand up for the needs of those who have been disposed of human rights - Im proud to be among you all.

[teenagebricks]

Signed. Thanks for posting this, pastradamus, definitely a worthwhile cause regardless of how many signatures you get. Keep it up.

[pastradamus]

and thank you my friend. nice one.

[pastradamus]

306 signatures Current

[N3p7uN3]

Just signed. Up to 1708 signatures (mine) and still counting.

[ibn Bruce]

Just signed.

[RedDragon]

Signed it. 1717 signatures now.

[pastradamus]

From Amnesty International:

raq's Justice Minister has been urged to stop the execution of 128 prisoners on death row, amid reports that the authorities plan to start executing them in batches of 20 next week.

The use of the death penalty has been increasing at an alarming rate in Iraq since the government reintroduced it in August 2004. This followed a suspension of more than one year by the Coalition Provisional Authority.

Last year at least 285 people were sentenced to death, and at least 34 executed. In 2007 at least 199 people were sentenced to death and 33 were executed, while in 2006 at least 65 people were put to death. The actual figures could be much higher as there are no official statistics for the number of prisoners facing execution.

"The Iraqi government said in 2004 that reinstating capital punishment would curb widespread violence in the country. The reality, however, is that violence has continued at extremely high levels and the death penalty has yet again been shown to be no deterrent,” said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme. "In fact, many attacks are perpetrated by suicide bombers who, clearly, are unlikely to be deterred by the threat of execution."

The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council informed Amnesty International on 9 March that Iraq's Presidential Council (comprising the President and the two Vice-Presidents) had ratified the death sentences of 128 people whose sentences had already been confirmed by the Cassation Court.

The Iraqi authorities have not disclosed the identities of those facing imminent execution, stoking fears that many of them may have been sentenced to death after trials that failed to satisfy international standards for fair trial.

Most are likely to have been sentenced to death by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq (CCCI), whose proceedings consistently fall short of international standards for fair trial. Some are likely to have been convicted of crimes such as murder and kidnapping on the basis of confessions they allege were extracted under torture during their pre-trial detention by Iraqi security forces. Allegations of torture are not being investigated adequately or at all by the CCCI. Torture of detainees held by Iraqi security forces remains rife.

“Iraq’s creaking judicial system is simply unable to guarantee fair trials in ordinary criminal cases, and even less so in capital cases, with the result, we fear, that numerous people have gone to their death after unfair trials,” said Malcolm Smart.

“Iraq continues to be plagued by high levels of political violence but the death penalty is no answer and, due to its brutalizing effect, may be making the situation worse. The Iraqi government should order an immediate halt to these executions and establish a moratorium on all further executions in Iraq.”

Amnesty International has called on the Iraqi authorities to make public all information pertaining to the 128 people, including their full names, details of the charges against them, the dates of their arrest, trial and appeal and their current places of detention.

Now, The Vast Bulk of those being sentenced to death are Not homosexuals but are being sentenced to death for BEING homosexual. There is a huge lack of evidence against almost everyone of the 128 and solid cases of the death penalty are being applied for circumstantial evidence. For example one person just happened to be in a REGION where violence was occurring.The circumstances of these executions make it urgent for the Iraqi authorities to establish a moratorium on the death penalty. This Is becoming a complete joke.

[Refounder]

Me too. 177something now.

[apathy maybe]

OK, so the Amnesty report confirms what I found, this isn't 128 "homosexuals" being sentenced to death for being gay, this is 128 people generally. Still a horrible thing, of course.

Anyway, good luck with that petition that gets the facts wrong, and will be ignored anyway...

[mykittyhasaboner]

Signed.

[brigadista]

signed - and i dont think you have to be gay to oppose this atrocity

[Chapter 24]

I signed. I was two-thousand and something. And although those who are saying that petititons don't really do anything in terms of actual social change, and though it certainly can't be equated to a social uprising, there's never any reason to reject petititons or in fact any type of fighting for reforms when there is injustice. (Note: fighting for reforms to improve living and working conditions, not reformism as a means to an end.)

[Hit The North]

Signed.

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

Please sign the Petition:http://www.petitiononline.com/iraqgay/petition.html



EveryOne Group and civil society in democratic countries have taken up the appeal from the IRAQI LGBT association, based in London, which calls on activists and democratic citizens to take part in an international campaign to save the lives of 128 prisoners sentenced to death because they are homosexual. According to the judicial and religious authorities, the prisoners will be murdered in groups of about 20 people. The first series of executions is imminent. Over the last three years 132 homosexuals have been put to death, including 17 Iraqi LGBT activists.
Arcigay has officially asked the Italian Government – through the Foreign Secretary – to support the international campaign against these executions that violate all the international charters in defence of human rights. EveryOne Group is asking the American institutions - which are still very influential in Iraq - to support this petition in favour of human rights and life, and invites all democratic citizens to send requests for clemency to the politicians and authorities who are able to put a stop to these executions

I posted this petition everywhere I could.

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

Please sign the Petition:http://www.petitiononline.com/iraqgay/petition.html



EveryOne Group and civil society in democratic countries have taken up the appeal from the IRAQI LGBT association, based in London, which calls on activists and democratic citizens to take part in an international campaign to save the lives of 128 prisoners sentenced to death because they are homosexual. According to the judicial and religious authorities, the prisoners will be murdered in groups of about 20 people. The first series of executions is imminent. Over the last three years 132 homosexuals have been put to death, including 17 Iraqi LGBT activists.
Arcigay has officially asked the Italian Government – through the Foreign Secretary – to support the international campaign against these executions that violate all the international charters in defence of human rights. EveryOne Group is asking the American institutions - which are still very influential in Iraq - to support this petition in favour of human rights and life, and invites all democratic citizens to send requests for clemency to the politicians and authorities who are able to put a stop to these executions

I posted this petition everywhere I could.

[apathy maybe]

I posted this petition everywhere I could.

Thanks, did you read the entire thread before doing that? The petition is calling for an atrocity that doesn't exist to stop. (The fact that there is a different atrocity doesn't mean that this farce should be promoted. If you want to sign a petition saying that 123 non-gay and 5 gay folks shouldn't be executed, feel free. It might do slightly more if the facts are actually correct.

Oh, and can a moderator, Mujer Libre perhaps, split the discussion about petitions into a thread in, say, theory? I'll respond to the other comments in time.

[Mujer Libre]

split the posts on the eficacy of petitions to Theory.

[AntinoiteBolshevik]

We have thousands of signatures now. The people are united in their condemnation of Iraq!