Gays in Iraq terrorized by threats, rape, murder

Editor's note: CNN agreed to change the names of the two men in this article to protect their identities.


BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Kamal was just 16 when gunmen snatched him off the streets of Baghdad, stuffed him in the trunk of a car and whisked him away to a house. But the real terror was about to begin.

The men realized he was gay, Kamal said, when he took his shirt off and they saw his chest was shaved.

"They told me to take off my clothes to rape me or they would kill me immediately. This moment was the worst moment in my life," he told CNN, weeping as he spoke of the 2005 ordeal.

"I was watching them taking off their clothes, preparing to rape me. I did not know what to do, so I started shouting loudly, 'Please do not do that! I will ask my family to give you whatever you want.'" Watch the tormented life of gays in Iraq »

His pleas went unheeded. "The other two kidnappers took off my clothes by force and, at that time, I saw them as three dirty animals trying to tear my body apart."

He was held for 15 days, released only after his family paid a $1,500 ransom. He was raped every day. Only once, he said, was he allowed to talk to his family during captivity. "I told my family that I was beaten by them, but I did not dare to tell my family that I was raped by them. I could not say it, it's too much shame."

CNN spoke with Kamal, now 18, and his 21-year-old friend, Rami, about what it's like to be gay in Iraq. Coming out as gay is not easy in any country, but to do so in Iraq could mean a death sentence or torture.

The two men rarely show feelings toward each other in public. They spend a lot of time in Internet cafes in Baghdad, surfing gay chat rooms and seeking contacts with other gay men in Iraq and elsewhere.

Since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the situation for gays and lesbians in Iraq has deteriorated. Ridiculed under Hussein, many now find themselves the targets of violence, according to humanitarian officials.

Lesbians are also victims of harassment and violence, but not nearly as often as gay men.

It's unknown how many homosexuals have been killed by militias in the lawless streets of Iraq's cities, but some Web sites post pictures of Iraqis they say were killed for being gay.

One photo on the Iraqi Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender site shows a group of men standing around three male bodies sprawled on a street, blood pouring from their heads. "Gay Iraqi victims of the police and death squads," the site says.

A U.N. report on human rights in Iraq reinforces the accusations of violence. Although gays are supposed to be protected by law in Iraq, it says, they face extreme brutality.

"Armed Islamic groups and militias have been known to be particularly hostile toward homosexuals, frequently and openly engaging in violent campaigns against them," the report said, adding that homosexuals have been murdered.

"Militias are reportedly threatening families of men believed to be homosexual, stating that they will begin killing family members unless the men are handed over or killed by the family," it said.

The report was issued at the end of 2006 and is the last U.N. study to touch on the subject.

Human rights experts say homosexuals are targeted for cultural reasons as well.

"Gay men and lesbians in Iraq face a lot of risks right now, because homosexuality is sometimes interpreted by people in Iraq as being a Western import," said Scott Portman with the Heartland Alliance, a group that promotes human rights worldwide. "So they can sometimes be targeted by insurgent groups or militias, in part, because of animosity toward the West and, in part, because homosexuality is not well-accepted in Iraqi society."

He added, "The biggest threats right now are from militia organizations, who will attack and actually sometimes kill gay men and women."

Kamal and Rami say the dangers are all too real in Baghdad -- and they live in secrecy not to shame their families.

"I would rather commit suicide than allow my family to find out I am gay," Rami said.

Kamal said he often pretends to have girlfriends in social settings and tells his friends he's dating girls. "I am also careful with the way I dress -- not to show them that I am gay, especially my family."

What would his family do if they found out?

"They will force me to give it up, and I cannot do that," he said. "The 'normal' people cannot live in Iraq. Imagine how the life is for gays."

Rami added, "I do not know why people hate gays even though so many have this tendency. But still they hate it."

Homosexuality is a touchy subject for many Iraqis. When CNN asked Iraqis in Baghdad how they felt about homosexuals, we found intolerance to be widespread.

One man said he considers gays no different from "criminals and terrorists." Another claimed homosexuality was "illegal under Islamic law, and they [gays] should be punished by law like criminals."

Rami said he once fell in love with a man who was part of the Mehdi Army, a Shiite insurgent group loyal to the radical anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Their relationship eventually soured.

"One day he told me he would come over to my house and kill me in front of my family," Rami said. "I told him I would come outside and be killed in the street because I do not want my family to find out I am gay."

Both men hope to escape Iraq. They say their ideal destination would be San Francisco, California. For now, both of them keep their feelings secret.

Kamal is still tormented by what happened to him nearly three years ago.

"During my sleep, I only see nightmares and I start crying. My family thought it was because they were beating me."

He paused, "Only my close friend Rami knows about this secret."

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WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? IRAQIS CONSIDER BEING GAY A DEATH OFFENSE, A CRIME AGAINST NATURE...AND THEIR SOLUTION IS TO RAPE THEM? HELLO...IF YOU PUT YOUR DICK IN A MAN, YOU ARE GAY. SO...RAPING A GAY MAN AS PUNISHMENT SEEMS A BIT HYPOCRITICAL TO ME. MORONS. ALL THIS DOES IS GIVE GAYS IN IRAQ A LEGAL WAY TO BE GAY WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES TO THEIR LAWS.

Gay, Lesbian Group Kicked Off Campgrounds

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. -- A gay and lesbian group who said it was kicked out of a Longview Lake campground plans legal action.

The group, Pride Revolutions, rented about a dozen campsites Friday, but said it was harassed and that on Saturday morning, it was told to leave by Jackson County park rangers and park attendees.

"We're human beings like everyone else, and we just wanted to get together with our friends and have a nice weekend. We weren't trying to cause any trouble," said one of the campers, who didn't want to be identified.

A representative of Jackson County Parks and Recreation said the campers were asked to leave because they were drinking alcohol, had dogs without leashes and committed other campground violations.

The camper said one member of their group violated the rules, not all of them, and she felt as if they were being watched and she felt unwelcome.

"We're just going to move forward," she said. "This shouldn't be tolerated. It's 2008. This is ridiculous."

Jackson County officials released a statement saying they were reviewing the incident to "ensure that all of our staff met the high standards and expectations we set for them in terms of friendliness, respect and professionalism."

They added that Jackson County was the first local government to establish domestic partner registry and domestic partner benefits.

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WHY DOES THE FACT THAT YOU ARE GAY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU BEING ASKED TO LEAVE FOR BEING DISRUPTIVE AND DISOBEYING RULES? I WANT TO KNOW IS HOW DID ANYONE KNOW YOU WERE GAY UNLESS YOU ADVERTISED IT OR WERE ACTING INAPPROPRIATELY IN PUBLIC? ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE ACTING UP IN PUBLIC, AND THEN WANTING TO SUE AFTER.

Fort Lauderdale mayor makes controversial comments on radio show

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Fort Lauderdale's mayor is no stranger to controversy. Jim Naugle's comments about the gay community have attracted national attention in the past, and now he's at it again.

Naugle spoke about the two gay mayoral candidates vying for his position Thursday morning on an AM radio talk show, on 850 WFTL, offending more people with what some of them are calling more anti-gay comments.

The radio host asked Naugle about the protests he inspired last year when he said public restrooms needed to have a timing device that unlock to deter gays from using them as places for sexual relations. "Do you want to be remembered as the guy who said no gay sex in public restrooms?" the radio host asked. Naugle instead said that he wanted to be remembered as the mayor who rallied against political correctness.

Naugle also said City Commissioner Dean Trantalis and newcomer Earl Rynerson, both openly gay candidates running for his position at the end of his term in 2009, might have a chance if "they were responsible homosexuals running for office that reject that kind of activity, recognizing that promiscuous activity has a heavy cost on human life and dollars. Then I think they would have a chance.''

Both candidates said Naugle is gay bashing by insinuating gays are sexually reckless. "I'm outraged, as everyone in this community has become with the continued obsession this mayor has with gay male sex," said Dean Trantalis.

Earl Rynerson said becoming the next mayor has nothing to do with sexual orientation. "I don't think it matters," he said. "I think what matters is you get a leader in office that can balance the budget, control costs, recognize and appreciate diversity."

When asked to clarify his statement, Naugle spoke at a park he said is known for gay cruising, where men can meet to have sexual relations. "It does matter if they don't think it's wrong that this park is advertised on the Internet as a place where men can meet to have sex," he said. "That is a big problem, and that's going to be the key for someone to get elected in Fort Lauderdale."

One gay resident said the best way to deal with these latest inflammatory comments was to not even talk about it. "I don't think we should even protest any more," said resident Giovanni Calcaterra, "just ignore him, ignore him, ignore him."

Ned Skubie, another gay resident, said Naugle's comments about the candidates was plain irresponsible. "I think the assumption's that all people act in a bad way, and all of us don't," he said.

There has been bad blood between Naugle and the gay community for awhile. Last year he caused another stir when he said he preferred the term "homosexual'' to "gay'' since gays are "unhappy.''

Earlier that year, gays organized a "flush Naugle" campaign after he portrayed bathroom trysts as part of the gay lifestyle. "He says a lot of ridiculous things, and he's wrong," said Calcaterra.

Naugle has reached the end of his term limits as mayor and will leave office in March 2009. Despite his past comments, Naugle insists that he is not anti-gay and when asked if he would endorse one of the gay candidates he said "possibly."

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IF YOU ARE GAY, BE GAY AND SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY. NOT EVERYONE HAS TO KISS YOUR ASS ORSMILE AND PRETEND THEY ACCEPT OR AGREE WITH YOU. SOME PEOPLE DON'T AND WON'T.GET OVER IT. ANTI GAY MY ASS. "YOU CALLED ME A HOMOSEXUAL" AND "YOU SAID A RACIAL SLUR". i AM SO SICK OF ALL THE FUCKING WHINING.