“They See Us as Criminals”: New Report Exposes Systematic Persecution and Forced Displacement of LGBTI Iranians

6Rang (Iranian Lesbian and Transgender Network), 16 May 2025:  In a new report titled “They See Us as Criminals,” 6Rang uncovers the structural forces behind the forced displacement of LGBTI individuals from Iran. Submitted to the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, the report reveals how criminalization, state repression, and social violence compel queer Iranians to flee, only to face continued threats and discrimination beyond Iran’s borders.

Under international law, forced displacement, when widespread or systematic, may amount to a crime against humanity. This report, released to mark May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, is based on testimonies from 25 LGBTI Iranians who have fled the country. It documents a pattern in which legal vulnerability, family abuse, social exclusion, and constant government surveillance form a relentless cycle of forced migration.

Respondents reported experiences of  domestic abuse, coerced marriages, conversion therapy, and threats of imprisonment as direct reasons for fleeing Iran. Nearly half, described being monitored or harassed by Iranian authorities even after leaving the country, illustrating the transnational reach of state repression.

Notably, 96% of participants were also members of ethnic or religious minorities, which further compounded their risk. 77% had endured  direct violence from family members, often enabled by legal impunity and fear of seeking help. For most, seeking asylum was not a choice, it was a means of survival.

A non-binary respondent who fled Iran in 2017 told 6Rang:
“Iran’s laws see people like me as criminals. There was no way for me to legally change my identity, access gender-affirming healthcare, or even live freely. I was constantly at risk of arrest.”

A lesbian woman who escaped in 2023 said:
“My family saw my sexuality as a disgrace. They tried to force me into a marriage, and when I refused, I was beaten and locked in my home. I knew I had to escape before it was too late.”

Nearly half of the interviewees also reported experiencing threats or harassment abroad, including online abuse and smear campaigns led by Iranian state media.

“Even outside Iran, I am not safe,” said one trans activist in exile. “They spread lies, call us traitors, and try to silence us through fear.”

Transit countries such as Türkiye were also reported to be  unsafe, with 76% of respondents facing violence, discrimination, or legal insecurity during their asylum processes.

All respondents said they cannot return to Iran due to threats of arrest, torture, or execution. In some cases, charges like “corruption on earth” have been used to seek the death penalty against LGBTI activists.

Legal and Political Context

Iran’s Islamic Penal Code criminalizes same-sex relations and gender non-conforming expression, with punishments ranging from flogging to execution.

• Articles 234, 236, and 239 outline penalties for same-sex intimacy.
• Article 638 criminalizes cross-dressing.
• In extreme cases, those who advocate for LGBTI rights can be prosecuted under Article 279 for “corruption on earth.”

High-level officials and state-controlled media have routinely promoted hate speech, portraying LGBTI individuals as “diseased,” “subhuman,” or “agents of the West.” This incitement fuels a broader culture of discrimination and violence across Iranian society.

Global Responsibility

6Rang is calling on the international community to take urgent action, to expand targeted asylum pathways, strengthen legal protections for queer refugees, and confront the extraterritorial persecution of LGBTI individuals by the Iranian state.

“We are witnessing a state-orchestrated campaign to erase LGBTI lives, not just in Iran, but beyond its borders,” Shadi Amin, Director of 6Rang, said.

“First and foremost, Iranian society must stop turning a blind eye. But the international community also bears responsibility. These are lives at risk, and silence equals complicity.” 

The report makes one thing clear: displacement is not a choice, it is a last resort for survival in the face of criminalization, violence, and erasure.

Read 6Rang’s full report in response to the call for inputs by the UN Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity [here].