250px|Map of Iran. Source: CIA World Factbook International controversy erupted after Iranian officials executed two gay teenagers who were originally reported to be convicted of homosexuality, however later reports released by the Iranian government after international furor claimed the conviction was for the rape of a 13-year-old boy. The two were hanged July 19. Only the age of one of the two executed teens was officially released to the public. He was 18 year old Ayaz Marhoni. The other, Mahmoud Asgari, according to the Iranian Student's News Agency (ISNA) was aged 17, but other news agencies have reported the teenager's age as 16. In the original report by the ISNA it was said that the two were found having sex together when they were both 16. It also reported that they were held and beaten for fourteen months before the execution. The UK-based gay rights group, Outrage! claims the report issued later by the government of Iran is a "smokescreen" to justify killing homosexuals. And one media outlet, Direland, has blasted the media holdings of Rupert Murdoch that includes Fox News Channel and The Times newspaper for publishing the subsequent Iranian government issued allegation of rape as matter of fact without mention of the previous stories before international condemnation bearing no such accusations. According to Iranian newspapers, the two boys were given 228 lashes for their other convictions of theft, disrupting public order and public drinking before they were hanged in Edalat ("Justice" in English) Square in the Iranian city of Mashhad . The executioners, fearing reprisals, wore masks and anti-riot forces were mobilized to prevent outbreaks of public protests. Photos of the execution released by Iranian Students News Agency showed the two teens crying in the truck driving them to the gallows in Justice Square, located in the northeastern region of the country. Iran has been under fire by international human rights groups for executing teenagers in the past, including the 2004 execution of Atefeh Rajabi , a 16-year-old girl convicted of having sex before marriage . Medical reports, not allowed in the court, had stated that she was mentally ill . Another report, by Iran In Focus, claimed that the two were hanged not for gay sex, but rather for sexually assaulting a thirteen year old boy at knife point. Neither the original Iranian Student's News Agency nor an additional report from the National Council of Resistance of Iran had this allegation, said the United Kingdom based Outrage . Direland Press has noted that the accusation of rape in reports came days after international outrage and detailed reports by other Iranian news agencies. They suggest the recent report is a ploy of the Iranian government to justify its actions. Tatchell told reporters that according to Iranian human rights activists, more than 4,000 lesbians and gay men have been executed in Iran since the ayatollahs seized power in 1979. He said an estimated 100,000 Iranians have been executed in Iran since that time. OutRage! requested the international community see Iran "as a pariah state" and to "break off diplomatic relations, impose trade sanctions, and give practical support to the democratic and left opposition inside Iran." In the Unites States, the Human Rights Campaign has called for U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to condemn the executions.
250px|Map of Iran. Source: CIA World Factbook International controversy erupted after Iranian officials executed two gay teenagers who were originally reported to be convicted of homosexuality, however later reports released by the Iranian government after international claimed the conviction was for the rape of a 13-year-old boy. The two were hanged July 19. Only the age of one of the two executed teens was officially released to the public. He was 18 year old Ayaz Marhoni. The other, Mahmoud Asgari, according to the (ISNA) was aged 17, but other news agencies have reported the teenager's age as 16. In the original report by the ISNA it was said that the two were found having together when they were both 16. It also reported that they were held and beaten for fourteen months before the execution. The UK-based gay rights group, claims the report issued later by the government of Iran is a "smokescreen" to justify killing homosexuals. And one media outlet, Direland, has blasted the media holdings of that includes Fox News Channel and The Times newspaper for publishing the subsequent Iranian government issued allegation of rape as matter of fact without mention of the previous stories before international condemnation bearing no such accusations. According to Iranian newspapers, the two boys were given 228 lashes for their other convictions of theft, disrupting public order and public drinking before they were hanged in Edalat ("Justice" in English) Square in the Iranian city of . The executioners, fearing reprisals, wore masks and anti-riot forces were mobilized to prevent outbreaks of public protests. Photos of the execution released by Iranian Students News Agency showed the two teens crying in the truck driving them to the in Justice Square, located in the northeastern region of the country. Iran has been under fire by international human rights groups for executing teenagers in the past, including the 2004 execution of , a 16-year-old girl convicted of having . Medical reports, not allowed in the court, had stated that she was . Another report, by Iran In Focus, claimed that the two were hanged not for gay sex, but rather for sexually assaulting a thirteen year old boy at knife point. Neither the original Iranian Student's News Agency nor an additional report from the had this allegation, said the United Kingdom based OutRage! . Direland Press has noted that the accusation of rape in reports came days after international outrage and detailed reports by other Iranian news agencies. They suggest the recent report is a ploy of the Iranian government to justify its actions. Tatchell told reporters that according to Iranian human rights activists, more than 4,000 lesbians and gay men have been executed in Iran since the seized power in 1979. He said an estimated 100,000 Iranians have been executed in Iran since that time. OutRage! requested the international community see Iran "as a state" and to "break off diplomatic relations, impose trade sanctions, and give practical support to the democratic and left opposition inside Iran." In the Unites States, the has called for U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to condemn the executions.
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furor
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Iranian Student's News Agency
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sex
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Outrage!
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Rupert Murdoch
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Mashhad
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gallows
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Atefeh Rajabi
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sex before marriage
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mentally ill
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National Council of Resistance of Iran
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Outrage
OutRage!
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ayatollahs
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pariah
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Human Rights Campaign