Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Islamic Republic of Iran's punishment code on Homosexuality


Complete Text of the Iranian Law on Homosexuality

Part Two: The Hadd of Lavat

Chapter One: The Definition of Lavat

Article 108: Lavat is an act of congress [vati] between males whether in [the form of] penetration or of tafkhiz (the rubbing of thighs/of the penis against thighs).
Article 109: Both the active and passive partners to lavat are subject to the hadd [punishment].
Article 110: The hadd [punishment] for lavat where penetration has occurred is death and the method of execution is at the discretion of the Sharia judge.
Article 111: Lavat is punishable by death so long as both the active and passive partners are mature, of sound mind, and have acted of free will.
Article 112: If a mature man commits an act of lavat with a minor the active partner [i.e. mature man] will be executed and the passive partner will, unless he has acted under duress, receive up to 74 lashes of the whip.
Article 113: Whenever a minor commits an act of congress [vati: i.e. whether penetrative or in the form of “tafkhiz or similar acts”] with another minor [both] will receive up to 74 lashes unless one of them has acted under duress.


Chapter Two: Methods of Proving Lavat

Article 114: The hadd [crime] of lavat is proven by confession repeated four times before a Sharia judge.
Article 115: Less than four confessions do not incur the hadd [punishment] and the person who confesses will be subject to a discretionary punishment [ta‘zir].
Article 116: Confession is valid when the confessor is mature, of sound mind, in control, has free will and [acts with] intention.
Article 117: The hadd [crime] of lavat is proven by the witness of four just men who have observed the act.
Article 118: The hadd [crime] of lavat is not proven by the witness of fewer than four just men and the witnesses will be subject the hadd [punishment] for slander (qazaf).
Article 119: The witness of women alone, or in conjunction with men, does not prove the hadd [crime] of lavat.
Article 120: The Shari’a judge may rule [issue a verdict] on the basis of the knowledge which he has acquired through generally accepted methods (i.e. his deductions and examinations).
Article 121: The hadd [crime] of tafkhiz and similar acts between two men, without penetration, will be punished by 100 lashes for each [party to the act].
Note to Article 121: If the active partner is non-Muslim and the passive partner is Muslim the punishment for the active partner is death.
Article 122: If tafkhiz and similar acts are repeated three times, and have each time incurred the hadd punishment on the fourth offence the hadd (punishment) will be death.
Article 123: If two men, unrelated to one another, lie, without necessity, naked under the same cover, they will each be punished by up to 99 lashes of the whip.
Article 124: If a man kisses another with lascivious intent they will be punished by up to 60 lashes of the whip.
Article 125: If a man who has committed an act of sodomy (lavat) or the rubbing of thighs (tafkhiz) or similar acts repents before witnesses have delivered their testimony he will not be subject to the hadd punishment. If the man repents after the testimonies have been delivered, he will be subject to the hadd punishment.
Article 126: If sodomy (lavat) or the rubbing of thighs (tafkhiz) or similar acts is established by confession, and the person who has confessed subsequently repents, the judge may request the Vali-ye Amr [the Supreme Leader] to exercise clemency.

Chapter Three: Lesbianism (mosaheqeh)

Article 127: Mosaheqeh is a same sex relationship between women with genital contact.
Article 128: The methods of proving mosaheqeh are the same as those for sodomy.
Article 129: The hadd punishment for mosaheqeh is 100 lashes of the whip for each party.
Article 130: The hadd crime of mosaheqeh may be proven in the case of those who are mature, of sound mind, and who have acted with intention.
Note: In the hadd crime of mosaheqeh there is no distinction between the active and passive party or between Muslim and non-Muslim parties [to the act].
Article 131: If mosaheqeh is repeated three times and the hadd has been carried out on each occasion, the hadd punishment on the fourth occasion will be death.
Article 132: If a person who has committed an act of mosaheqeh repents before witnesses have delivered their testimony she will not be subject to the hadd punishment. If the person repents after the testimonies have been delivered, she will be subject to the hadd punishment.
Article 133: If the act of mosaheqeh is established by confession, and the person who has confessed subsequently repents, the judge may request the Vali-ye Amr [the Supreme Leader] to exercise clemency.
Article 134: If two women, who are unrelated to one another, lie, without necessity, naked under the same cover, they will each be punished by less than 100 lashes of the whip. If the act is repeated and the ta‘zir punishment is in each case administered, on the third occasion the hadd punishment of 100 lashes will be incurred.

Source : IRQO (former PGLO)

Etre gay en Iran (1/3). Reportage réalisé en février 2007 par CBC News

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

KLM


KLM revealed that it will be increasing flights to Toronto for Summer 2008. Frequencies are being raised to double daily operations from its AMS hub.

All flights will be flown using the Boeing 777-200ER. Previously, in Summer 07, KLM flew 12 weekly flights to YYZ i.e. daily B 744s + 5 weekly B 772ERs.

Lufthansa


Lufthansa will be launching 2 new long haul destinations from the on set of the Summer 2008 timetable. The 2 new cities are Calgary and Seattle both flown nonstop from its FRA hub.

In addition, LH has also revealed few capacity changes for its Summer 2008 schedule; the highlights of which are as follows :

YYC - new daily flights to start April 18th 2008 using an A 333 nonstop from FRA. Flight timings are expected to be as follows :

Dep FRA 1215 Arr YYC 1400
Dep YYC 1530 Arr FRA 0915+1

SEA - new daily flights to start from March 30th 2008 using an A 333 nonstop from FRA.

YYZ - will be served daily with an A 340-300 till April 30th; thereafter with an A 340-600.

MAA - capacity will be reduced from daily B 744s in the winter to daily A 346s in the summer effective March 30th 08.

IAH - in summer 07, flights were flown using an A 346 however in Summer 2008, a B 744 will be used.

Singapore Airlines


Singapore Airlines has further revealed what routes its 10 Airbus A 380s will fly on in 2008-09.

The main highlights are as follows :

1st A 380 to fly daily SIN-SYD-SIN

2nd & 3rd A 380 to fly daily SIN-LHR-SIN

4th A 380 to fly daily SIN-NRT-SIN

5th & 6th A 380 to fly SIN-HKG-SFO

7th & 8th A 380 to fly daily SIN-LHR-SIN

9th A 380 to fly daily SIN-SYD-SIN

10th A 380 to fly daily SIN-Australia-SIN...most likely MEL.

Analysis :

Whats interesting to note is that SFO will be the first U.S. destination getting the A 380 ahead of LAX which has shocked many people.

Royal Air Maroc


Royal Air Maroc (RAM) officially announced that it will be increasing its flights to Montreal, Canada by adding an additional 2 weekly flights to its Winter 2007 schedule.

Thus RAM will fly 6 weekly B 763ERs nonstop from its CMN hub to YUL effective December 2007.

Their flight timings are as follows :

Daily except WED

AT 206 CMN 1450 - 1745 YUL
AT 207 YUL 1915 - 0705+1 CMN

Cathay Pacific


Cathay Pacific is rumored to announce shortly its plan to increase its Toronto bound flights from daily to 10 times a week, all flown nonstop from HKG to YYZ. No set date has been leaked by the airline. Insiders at CX HKG HQ also reveal that capacity to YYZ is also likely to be increased by the A 343 being replaced by the larger A 346 and then eventually the B 773ER in late 2008.

American Airlines


American Airlines has officially confirmed that it will be launching new nonstop flights to Moscow (DME), Russia from its Chicago (ORD) hub from 2nd June 2008. Flights will be flown on a daily basis using a Boeing 767-300ER. The flight timings are as follows :

AA158 ORD 1655 - 1215+1 DME
AA159 DME 1650 - 1440 ORD