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A 31-year-old man has become the latest victim of homophobic legislation in Iran after he was hanged after being convicted for violating the nations anti-gay laws.

First reported by The Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) the unnamed man was publicly hanged in the City of Kazeroon, a punishment in line with the Islamic Punishment Code in Iran, where individuals convicted of homosexuality can be punished with death.

According to local reports in addition to being charged with having sexual intercourse with another male, the man was also found guilty of kidnapping two 15-year-old boys.

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While is not clear if the sex charges were related to the boys whom he was accused of kidnapping, LGBTI rights experts say it is almost impossible for journalists, media, and human rights activists to confirm details about court cases in Iran.

“After the sentence was executed, the citizens of Kazeroon expressed satisfaction and thanked the judiciary,” explained ISNA.

Disturbingly, according to a 2008 report, it is believed since 1979 when the nation had its Islamic Revolution,  between 4,000 and 6,000 gay men and lesbians have been executed in Iran for crimes related to their sexual preference.

There have also been numerous incidents reported on both Iranian state news and international news in which teenage boys have been hanged for having sex with other teen boys.

Amnesty International believes that in Iran, male individuals who engage in same-sex intercourse face different punishments under Iranian criminal law depending on whether they are deemed as the “active” or “passive” partners, and whether their conduct is deemed consensual or non-consensual.

If the conduct is deemed consensual, the “passive” partner of same-sex anal conduct shall be sentenced to the death penalty. The “active” partner, however, is sentenced to death only if he is married, or if he is not a Muslim and the “passive” partner is a Muslim.

If the intercourse is deemed non-consensual, the “active” partner receives the death penalty but the “passive” partner is exempted from punishment and treated as a victim.

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