More horrific details of the recent gay birthday raid in Isfahan, Iran. The majority of the 80 people detained by police have been released, although at least five partygoers remina in custody. Of those who were either let go or paid the $250,000 bail, many came out bruised and battered. No surprise considering eyewitness accounts of the arrests and detention.

Doug Ireland passes on word from Arsham Parsi - exiled head of the Iranian Queer Organization - that police treated the "prisoners" with the utmost severity. One detainee told Parsi:

The police beat us so hard that one of us threw himself out of the third-floor window and broke his legs; he is now in hospital. When we were arrested, we were forced to sleep on the floor, and the police were walking on us. We don’t have any voice here and you are our voice, please tell the world about our horrible situation in Iran, it is our daily life.

Those arrested face charges of homosexuality and consumption of alcohol, the latter carries a sentence of 100 lashes. The former can lead to execution - which may be what the birthday boy has in store for him, according to Parsi.

Parsi also says that the police brought video cameras and four mullahs to the raid, thus ensuring damning evidence for the forthcoming trials. Maybe we can all rally to stop things before it's too late...

Nepal's Blue Diamond Society has called for the United Nations to admonish Iran for last week's anti-gay raid. Malaysia Sun elaborates:

[BDS] sent an appeal to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, asking for his intervention to secure the freedom of 80 men arrested by Iranian security forces in Isfahan eight days ago.

Expressing deep concern at the crackdown in the conservative Islamic country, BDS said it had received information that the detainees had been severely tortured in Isfahan jail and were in a bad state. "Their lives are in danger...We ask your timely intervention to secure their early release."

Blue Diamond Sociey's a natural ally for gay Iranians, who face very public, increasingly brutal state-sponsored attacks. BDS remains Nepal's singular gay rights organization and has repeatedly come up against the country's Maoist government, which has a less than sparkling gay rights record.

It's not all doom and gloom over in Nepal, however. The country celebrated its first gay beauty contest last night. Zee News reports that 18 cruised the catwalk last night to take win for the Pink Pageants' top slot. We wonder if the contestants dropped into Nepal's first and only openly gay-owned business, The Cutey Beauty Salon.

Big trouble in gay Iran. More than eighty gay and gay-allies have been were arrested at a May 10th party in Isfahan. Men and women had traveled from all over to attend a man named Farhad's birthday celebration. Unfortunately, someone tipped notified the police, who subsequently raised the party, beat attendants and took them off to jail, according to Toronto-based Iranian Queer Organization. One would-be partygoer, Peyman, tells IQO:

I went to buy a gift for Farhad and so I arrived late for the party.

As soon as I turned in to their street, I saw police cars parked everywhere; all my friends were arrested while seven or eight policeman beat them with batons. Fearing the usual punishments for attending a party, two had jumped from the second-floor window and were in a bad condition.

Farhad’s family were [sic] also arrested. Everyone was transported into a big car and taken into custody. All their cell phones are off and we have no information about the situation inside the jail.

Faggotry remains illegal under Iran's Islamic law. In fact, a number of men have been executed for their gay ways, including Shahab Darvishi, who met his unjust fate last November.

UK Gay News reports that female guests have been released, but the men remain in torturous custody. Not much of a birthday present for poor Farhad. IQO has asked for a "prompt release" of all guests. Allah willing...

Iran's war on the West has a new front: the barber shop. Pushing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's conservative traditionalism, Iranian police have issued an edict prohibiting barbers from coiffing the Western way.

Under their orders, barber union head Mohammad Eftekhari-Fard ordered:

Currently some salons use Western grooming methods to create styles that are in line with the European and American ones. The union has repeatedly announced the restrictions against unconventional grooming when issuing permits to each of the barber shops. Hence barbers, knowing these rules, should not pursue the wrong methods. The union will withdraw its support from those barbers who cut hairstyles that are out of line with the norms of the system.

Those norms include no "big" hair (which we think means spiky), no eyebrow plucking and, apparently, barbers are "not to apply make-up on men's faces". Wait - Iranian men wear make-up? That's why Ahmadinejad always looks so sexy.

In addition, men are forbidden from wearing ties. Apparently it's a symbol of Western decadence. Who knew? Also, men caught with "big" (spiky) hair will have a stripe shaved down their head. Won't that just make the remaining hair look bigger and, thus, spiky? Talk about a two-headed monster...

Iran cracks down on wacky male hairdos [The Daily Star]
Iran cracks down on 'Western' hairdos [Ynet]

Born in 1974 in Iran, openly gay singer Firouz saw both the Islamic revolution and the Iraqi invasion, giving him a first hand experience of war's destruction. After the invasion razed his small town, his family packed him up and sent him to Europe, where he found another escape in music.

His single, "Warchild" tells this tale, but, as he tells Arjan from Arjan Writes, it's a tale to which all can relate:

My story isn't an exception and not only about teenagers in some parts of the world where they die in senseless wars or lose their homes and family. Everybody has their own personal fights. The hardest battle is the one inside of yourself and in your own life. Everybody is a warchild.

And how...

Arjan informs us that the track has been remixed and is now available on iTunes.

We've gone ahead and posted the video after the jump. You know, so you can make an informed decision...

CONTINUED »

• Speaking of coming out: a new study shows that revealing one's HIV status may help maintain healthier CD4 cell count.

• Meanwhile, Iranian scientists claim to have formulated a new herbal remedy for HIV.

• In other international news: with nowhere to express themselves in the West Bank, gay Palestinians are finding comfort in Jerusalem.

• Now, let's turn our attention to some frivolous celebrity gossip: rumor has it that Tom Cruise has asked Ben Stiller to appear in The Hardy Men: an updated, comedic version of the popular mysetry series. Um, since when's Cruise a comedian?

• In education news, more and more people are turning a critical eye on bear culture. The gays, not the forest creatures. As far as we know, the forest creatures don't have any culture...

• Finally, people are twisted over the Snickers' commercials. Homophobia or just plain stupid? You be the judge.

• If there's one thing November's election taught us, it's that sexual panic's alive and well. What, however, does that mean for gay people? Julie Enszer investigates. [SOVO]

• We know Mitt Romney's not swell on the gays, but his 1994 letter to the Log Cabin Republicans says otherwise. [The Boston Globe]

• Nicole Richie's a wild child. That's a given. But her most recent arrest raises questions about her race. [Mollygood]

• It's an established fact that Latvia's got loads of homophobic politicians. Iain MacWhirter wonders what that means for Scotland. [The Guardian]

• Everyone knows Dreamgirls is being tossed around for an Oscar nod, but can you imagine Borat getting a statue? [The Huffington Post]

• Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denies the holocaust. Do you know who's furious about it? Peter Tatchell, that's who. [Pink News UK]

Though a short story, we feel it's best to put this in the main page where everyone can see, rather than in QueerFeed where it may not get as much attention. Our friend Richard from Proceed at Your Own Risk just sent us this link detailing how an Iranian man named Shahab Darvishi was publicly hanged before hundreds of cheering citizens.

We're sure you can guess that Darvishi got sentenced to death after being convicted of so-called "moral corruption", as well as sodomy. His execution brings this years total of Iranian death sentences up to a sickening 117.

Unfortunately, that number will soon rise. Our friend Peter Tatchell has informed us that the Iranian government will soon execute ten Arab activists accused of insurgency. Since then, an eleventh man has been sentenced to die after the men were tortured into confessing on national television. Human Rights groups are urging the country to cancel the unjust hangings. Given Iran's extreme stance on capital punishment, however, an appeal seems unlikely.

• Are we the only ones confused by the news that Tyra Banks and rapper Chingy are dating? No? We didn't think so. [Star Magazine]

• Selling pregnancy tests as HIV tests does not qualify as a Halloween "trick". That's a crime. [BBC]

• HRC President Joe Solmonese wants you to vote. He also wants to spread jam on Rick Santorum and eat him. [The Advocate]

• Meanwhile, British homo-activo Peter Tatchell wants to see former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami locked up for human rights abuse of homos. No mention of cannibalism. [The Guardian]

• Footballer player turned ESPN announcer Brian Kinchen just got suspended after sort-of homophobic remarks. What did he say? Something about caressing a football being gay, or something. [MSNBC]

Alright, kiddies, now for some international news...

You may remember we previously reported that The Netherlands were considering deporting gay Iranians. Well, we're happy to inform you that they've changed their minds. Isn't that wonderful?

It seems that Rita Verdonk (pictured), the Immigration Minister who said gay Iranians could protect themselves by being "discrete," has granted them immunity from the Dutch boot. Reuters reports:

Verdonk, whose tough stance on immigration and asylum has been condemned by many on the left, based her decision on an unpublished report by Human Rights Watch, which refers to systematic abuse of homosexuals in Iran, her ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Homosexual Iranian asylum seekers can now find a safe haven in the Netherlands from the persecution and inhuman treatment they face in Iran," Frank van Dalen, chairman of gay rights group COC Nederland, said.

Of course, with the news, one can expect to see an influx of gay Iranians into the country. So, ladies and gents, if you want a little Iranian action, you know where to go. (That is, unless Iran gets some nukes and go on a vengeful rampage. Then you'll just have radioactive ash. But, hey, some people are into that sort of thing.)

As Murray Hill pines away for Penelope Cruz, gay Iranian exiles in Europe are pining away for asylum. Despite accounts of torture and execution for homosexuality, a number of European nations may soon begin deporting gay Iranians back to their homeland. While Sweden started the ball rolling last month, the Netherlands may soon lift the respite deportation. Pink News UK reports:

In February 2006, Dutch Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk [pictured, look quite shifty] first declared her intention to end the moratorium, stating that “It appears that there are no cases of an execution on the basis of the sole fact that someone is homosexual. ... For homosexual men and women it is not totally impossible to function in society, although they should be wary of coming out of the closet too openly.”

Um...okay. So basically Verdonk's given them two options: either stay in the closet and risk extreme psychological trauma or come out of the closet and be killed. How nice.

Giving into protests, Verdonk maintained the postponement for further review. Well, that review's almost over and gay Iranians are itching with morbid anticipation. Quite frankly, we are, too.

• Once-a-day HIV treatment in Canada? We'll soon find out! [365 Gay]

• Want to be an extra in a Michael Lucas porn? Sure you do! [Gawker]

• Trannie conference? Totally drew hundreds! [Southern Voice]

• Naked Rugby Players? Delicious! [Famous Males Forums]

• Gay Iranians in Sweden? Oh shit, they're being shipped home! [Radio Sweden]

• Was Zuma's apology sincere? Gays say 'No'! [The Independent]