Gay men executed in Iraq

Per New York Times, as many as 25 men and boys who presumably identified as gay have been found dead in Sadr City in the past two months.

According to the article, Iraqi police suspect the killers to be Shiite death squads as well as tribal and family members ashamed by their gay relatives.

Twitter users reacted:

1. 
   Salam (Baghdad, Iraq) @kuschkusch my worry is that these killings are almost socially acceptable. And I thought those clerics had bigger concerns than gay bashing 04 Apr 2009 from web in reply to kuschkusch
2. 
   ryanj81 (Wisconsin) Gays in Iraq face killings, cop crackdowns. Is it safe to be gay and live anywhere?? http://viigo.im/gpu 08 Apr 2009 from Viigo
3. 
   joearf ( Old Greenwich, CT )How effectively can you be an advocate for gay rights in Iraq if you're afraid to be killed? 08 Apr 2009 from mobile web

Many Twitterers noted that the news of gay bashing in Iraq coincided with news of LGBT progress in the United States. Per Reuters, Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage.

1. 
   WPennHouse (Washington D.C.) Celebrating the incredible progress on gay rights (Vermont, DC, Iowa), but praying for those in Iraq who are being persecuted. 08 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   gerock NYTimes front page 2 stories one Gay marriage in Vt the other Gays hunted and killed in Iraq 08 Apr 2009 from Tweetie

Gay men executed in Iraq