Psyche, Science, and Society

Did Sistani call for murdering gays?

March 18th, 2006

There is a claim going around that senior Iraqi Shia cleric al-Sistani has called for killing gays. [Iraqi cleric wants gays killed in "most severe way" ]:

[T]he country’s influential Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has issued a violent death order against gays and lesbians on his Web site, according to London-based LGBT human rights groups OutRage.

Written in Arabic, the fatwa comes from a press conference with the powerful religious cleric, where he was asked about the judgment on sodomy and lesbianism. “Forbidden,” Sistani answered, according to OutRage, “Punished, in fact, killed. The people involved should be killed in the worst, most severe way of killing.”

I think people should be cautious about spreading this until confirmed by someone who reads Arabic. After hearing about this the other day, I looked at Sistani’s web site in the English section and couldn’t find it. There were some things about women connected to men who commit sodomy were forbidden to engage in certain activities. Despicable, yes, but FAR from the current claim. I’m not saying its false, just that we should seek confirmation. There have been all too many rumors based on incorrect translations from Arabic.

Entry Filed under: Iraq, Rights and Liberties