Date: Wed, 14 Feb 1996 19:55:10 -0800 From: Ron Buckmire Subject: COUNTRIES WHERE SODOMY IS A CAPITAL OFFENSE This information was posted to the QUEERPLANET mailing list... Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 15:15:34 CST From: "MARK WOJCIK" <7WOJCIK@jmls.edu> > . . . it was only under Henry VIII that sodomy became a CAPITAL > offense in England . . . Although the historical development is interesting and important, we shouldn't forget that sodomy is still a CAPITAL offense in many countries. Professor James Wilets of the University of Miami School of Law documented this in a fascinating article, "International Human Rights Law and Sexual Orientation," Hastings International and Comparative Law Review, vol. 18, No. 1, at pp. 1-120 (1994). Here are some examples from his article: (These are not pretty -- delete now if you have a weak stomach) IRAN: Under Article 110 of the Islamic Penal Law the punishment for sodomy is death. Ayatolah Musavi-Ardebili said that "For homosexuals, men or women, Islam has prescribed the most severe punishments.... After it has been proved on the basis of Sharia, they should seize him [or her], they should keep him standing, they should split him in two with a sword, they should either cut off his neck or they should split him from the head.... After he is dead, they bring logs, make a fire and place the corpse on the logs, set fire to it and burn it.... Or they should dig a hole, make a fire... and throw him alive into the fire...." SAUDI ARABIA: All homosexual acts are subject to the death penalty. COLUMBIA: "Right-wing death squads have openly stated that homosexuals . . . are a scourge that need to be wiped out." One group reported that death squads murdered 328 people from 1986 to 1990 "and the experts say these figures are almost certainly too low." PERU: Right-wing groups known as "mata cabros" (Kill Faggots) killed more than 40 transvestites in Lima between 1990-91. A left-wing revolutionary organization also staed its policy to kill homosexuals. BRAZIL: One Brazilian newspaper estimated that one anti-gay killing occurs every four days, and more than 1,000 members of sexual minorities died between 1980 and 1992. ECUADOR: Two gay men murdered between November 1991 and February 1992. CHILE: An anti-gay commando group claimed responsibility for fire-bombing a gay disco. ARGENTINA: Army chaplain Father Lobardero called for the death penalty for homosexuals and argued that "Thou Shalt Not Kill" does not apply to homosexuals. The death penalty for sodomy thus still exists in law (Iran, Saudi Arabia) and in practice (Latin America). We have much work to do to protect our sisters and brothers. Mark ======================================= Mark E. Wojcik, J.D., LL.M. Assistant Professor of Law The John Marshall Law School 315 S. Plymouth Court Chicago, IL 60604 USA Voice: (312) 987-2391 E-mail: 7wojcik@jmls.edu ======================================== "Life is too short not to take chances." ======================================== --- RON BUCKMIRE Math Department, Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles, CA 90041 RON@OXY.EDU||staff@QRD.ORG||+1 213 259 2536||+1 213 341 4966 (fax) Check out the Queer Resources Directory