The United States believes that all humans are deserving of dignity, respect, and equality before the law. The Iranian regime clearly disagrees, and their discrimination against the LGBTQ community is another injustice against the Iranian people. Iran’s 2013 Islamic Penal Code continues to penalize consensual same-sex relations between adults by severe and inhumane punishments, including the death penalty and flogging. The regime regularly silences, jails, or even kills those who defend LGBTQ Iranians. In 2018, Iran detained gender equality activist Ms. Rezvaneh Mohammadi and subjected her to relentless interrogations for 26 days in Ward 209 of Tehran’s Evin prison. By contrast, in the United States, these Americans can reach any position based on their merit and hard work, and we will always protect freedom of speech and expression. Today, members of the LGTBQ community include two Senators and Ric Grenell, President Trump’s Acting Director of National Intelligence. We join the many Iranians who simply ask to be treated equally and with the same level of respect as their brothers and sisters.
