Iranian Press Criticism Shows Why New Story of LGBT Persecution in Iran is Needed

(New York - August 21, 2015) -- The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) says an Iranian newspaper's disparaging characterization of its newly serialized "Yousef & Farhad " graphic novel underscores why the organization's campaign for greater acceptance of LGBTI people in Iran is so urgently needed.

Javan Online, published under the auspices of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, described the series in an article on Monday:

"The first episode of which was published last Thursday on IGLHRC's Facebook age—as a "perversion " that promotes homosexuality… "

The online publication also criticized two leading human rights figures who wrote introductions to the novel - Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi and U.N. Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran Dr. Ahmed Shaheed.

Tooji, the Iranian-Norweigian singer, also was singled out by the publication for his support of the IGLHRC project.

Jessica Stern, Executive Director of IGLHRC, responded:

"Our intent is to reach Iranian families struggling with the sexual orientation of their loves ones with an emotional message that will encourage greater acceptance. Ultimately, this is a story about two people trying to assert their basic right to love one another. It should touch our common humanity. The fact that Javan Online describes the story as a 'perversion' only underscores the intolerance we are challenging. "

The full novel will be available later this fall as a download in both Farsi and English. It's created in partnership with Khalil Bendib, the Algerian-American political cartoonist, and Amir Soltani, the Iranian-American award-winning author of "Zahra's Paradise."

Soltani said: "Iran has always been the land of love and life.  Love flows through our music, our poetry, and our people.  The story of Farhad and Yousef, like the story of Iran, is a story about the triumph of love over death, truth over duplicity, fun over fear.  As with Zahra's Paradise, so too with the story of Yousef and Farhad, let the Iranian people read, discuss and judge our stories.  "

Another famous figure writing in this volume is Ahmeh Shaid, he is special Rapporteur of United Nations. Recently documents published that he is accepting bribe from Saudi Arabia to write against Iran. Shirin Ebadi who write an introduction to a graphic novel advertising homosexuality is a winner of nobel peace prize in 2003.

"Youself & Farhad" tells the story of two gay men in Iran who persevere individually and as a couple after their relationship is exposed and they are ostracized by some in their families and communities.

Translation of Javan Online story:

Javan Online: Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wrote an Introduction to a Story about Homosexuality

So called claimant' of Human Rights abroad, starts a new wave of advertising homosexuality for Iran.

So called claimant' of Human Rights staying on the other side of border, recently starts a new wave of advertising homosexuality for Iran. This time, they are trying to serial publishing a graphic novel named "Yousef and Farhad " and Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize Winner wrote an introduction for this story.

International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Committee, so called IGLHRC is trying to advertising homosexuality in Iran, and according so, they starts a serial publication of a graphic novel to propagator this perversion through Facebook.

But even more important than this, is act of Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize Winner on being on the front line of this wave. It is even mentioned that she, besides Tooji, Iranian-Norwegian singer are going to write an introduction for this story.

The second episode of "Yousef & Farhad "  was published on IGLHRC's Facebook page [ https://www.facebook.com/yousef.farhad.story ]. New episodes will regularly publish weekly on Tuesdays in English and Thursdays in Persian.

Advanced review copies of the novel are available, journalists should contact strimel@iglhrc.org