A LEDBURY woman who is bidding to stop the execution of an Iranian teenager on an unjust charge of homosexuality hopes to take her campaign to the Conservative party conference in Birmingham next month.
Melissa Morris has launched an online petition and Facebook group calling for Foreign Secretary William Hague to stop the execution of 18-year-old Ebrahim Hamidi.
The Iranian has been sentenced to death for ‘lavat’, or sodomy, despite not being gay and the fact that his alleged victim has admitted being pressured to make false accusations.
Since news of Miss Morris’ petition appeared in the Ledbury Reporter the campaign has won the backing of both Amnesty International and the Labour Campaign for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights.
“He is still fighting for his life and could be executed whenever the Supreme Court of Iran see fit,” said Miss Morris. “However awareness has been raised of his plight and the plan is to go to the Conservative conference in September to raise the issue with Mr Hague.
“We just hope it will not be too late.”
To sign the petition visit ipetitions.com/petition/falsecharge.
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