Mr. Speaker, this past summer people across the world were shocked and saddened by media reports from Iran which indicated that two young men aged 16 and 18 had been executed.
Independent media reports confirmed that Mahmoud Asgari and Ayez Marhoni lost their lives because they were gay. While Iranian officials tried to make reference to supposed criminal charges, these lacked any credibility.
The reality is that gays and lesbians in Iran are subject to appalling human rights abuse. These young men lost their lives for being gay. The fact that they were as young as they were meant that their execution was in violation of international conventions to which Iran is a signatory.
People across the world must speak out in outrage at these continued abuses of the most basic human rights in Iran.