Iraqi Police Execute “Gay” Child in Baghdad

Ahmed, aged 14, shot dead on doorstep

The notorious al_Dura district of Baghdad where “gay child” was executed by police last month.

LONDON, May 4, 2006 – Gay human rights group Outrage! has today accused Iraqi police of executing a 14 year old boy in the al-Dura district of Baghdad in early April.

Ahmed Khalil was accused of corrupting the community and creating a scandal because he had sex with men.

“Ahmed was, in fact, a victim of poverty. He sold his body to get money and food to help his impoverished family survive,” said Ali Hili, an exiled gay Iraqi who is Middle East Affairs spokesperson for the London-based OutRage!.

“According to a neighbour, who witnessed Ahmed’s execution from his bedroom window, four uniformed police officers arrived at Ahmed's house in a four-wheel-drive police pick-up truck.

“The neighbour saw the police drag Ahmed out of the house and shoot him at point-blank range, pumping two bullets into his head and several more bullets into the rest of his body.”

Mr Hili is also coordinator of the Iraqi LGBT – UK group, consisting of more than 30 Iraqi gay exiles in the UK. They are in contact with an underground network of gay people in Baghdad and other cities.

He was given details of Ahmed’s execution by his friends in Baghdad, including “J”, a university graduate and professional, who lives in the al-Dura area and who has spoken to eye-witnesses and Ahmed’s neighbours.

“According to our contacts in Baghdad, the Iraqi police have been heavily infiltrated by the Shia paramilitary Badr Corps,” Mr Hili said.

“They are seeking to impose a fundamentalist morality on the people of Iraq.

“The murder of Ahmed follows a pattern of Badr executions of suspected gays and lesbians in Iraq. Badr are using their members in the police to enforce the violent homophobia of Sharia law.

“Badr's policy is to murder gay people, prostitutes, unveiled women, sellers and consumers of alcohol and people with Sunni-sounding names.

“Inspired by the Shia spiritual leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who has issued a death fatwa against lesbians and gays, Badr is kidnapping and executing people suspected of homosexuality, even young kids.

“Our gay contacts in Baghdad condemn the sexual exploitation of young people. They are working to help rescue teenagers pressured into prostitution by their impoverished circumstances,” said Mr Hili. >>>cont

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