We are proud to announce a special milestone for JoopeA: the 10th anniversary of our registration in the Netherlands! While our journey began in 2009 in Iran, it was on October 13, 2014, that JoopeA took a bold step forward, registering as an organization in the Netherlands. Over the past decade, we have remained committed to our vision of “making a better future for all*.”

From the start, JoopeA has pushed boundaries, addressing taboo topics through our digital platforms, holding public events, and even organizing protests to bring attention to important issues. Our work has always been about giving voice to the voiceless, shedding light on what matters, and creating space for open conversations.

Throughout the years, we’ve witnessed the realization of many incredible projects, uniting individuals from diverse backgrounds, celebrating diversity, and encouraging people to embrace their authentic selves such as Jensiat, JAssist and Iran Pride. At the same time, we’ve had to say goodbye to certain ventures such as Ask and Homophilia, adapting and evolving as needed to stay true to our mission.

JoopeA has always been about community. Our events, whether large or small, have served as moments to come together, exchange ideas, and inspire each other. We’ve continuously provided hope and courage to those who needed it, and through our work, we’ve always aimed to build a sense of belonging.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to remind ourselves that life is precious, and it’s worth celebrating. The struggles, the triumphs, the lessons—everything we’ve experienced as a community has shaped JoopeA into what it is today.

As we reflect on this incredible journey, we are filled with gratitude for the support we’ve received from so many. Together, we have achieved remarkable things and made a difference in countless lives.

Let’s take a moment to celebrate this 10-year milestone, acknowledging the past while looking forward to the future. JoopeA is much more than a decade-old organization—it is a movement, a beacon of hope for many, and a testament to the power of coming together for a common goal.

We look forward to continuing this journey with you, striving to make the world a better place for all. Here’s to another decade of impact, innovation, and unwavering hope!

Do you like our work? Consider donating to support our work:

We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to get in touch, share your thoughts, and let us know how we can improve. Your feedback is invaluable as we continue our journey together.

Warm Regards,
E. Rafiee
Director

* When we say “making a better future for all,” we mean creating a better future first and foremost for all humankind, while also striving to extend that care to the rest of the life forms on this planet, as much as we can. We believe that by nurturing the well-being of people, we can positively impact the world around us.

We Stand Together and Move Forward to Exercise Our Rights

Iranian LGBTIQ (queer*) community:

In all these years, LGBTIQ community alongside with other groups, not only have been observing protests and uprising of Iranian people, but they have been part of it as well. This year, we as a group of Iranian queer community, state our full support for Iranian people and we ask all Iranian around the world not to forget to fight for equal rights in all aspects including gender equality and LGBTIQ community rights.

The article 20 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares everyone right to have freedom of peaceful assembly and association. We also recognize everyone right to have a peaceful demonstration and protests as part of efforts to achieve equality and democracy in a society. Therefore, nonviolent demonstrations are basic rights of each person which is brought into laws in international communities and Iran. However, our society continuously being pushed out and LGBTIQ activists have been hiding their identities and hence leave the country.

In the last 4 decades, Islamic Republic of Iran government not only has been playing a direct role in punishing people, but also has been very active in promoting hatred against LGBTIQ community all around the world. Iranian government officials are proud to do such activities and these pressures forces thousand Iranian people from queer community to leave Iran and seek asylum in other countries.

We, Iranian LGBTIQ activists, request support from politicians and activists in Iran and all around the world and we demand their help to improve the situation of Iranian queer community until we achieve the equal rights.

We also appeal to social activists to not forget Intersectional people rights and  to remember that students, women, teachers, workers, and minorities from different cities and villages are part of the LGBTIQ community. In Iran society, due to toxic environment against LGBTIQ community, people from different sexual orientations are not in liberty to exercise their rights and make sure their voices are heard, hence they are victims of inequality from different legal and social aspects.

We, as part of the LGBTIQ community, would like to ask all social movements especially women movements to promote gender equality goal and invite them to remember other sexual orientations in their conversations and not to encourage Heteronormative and Cisnormative dialogues.

JoopeA Foundation, Spectrum, Radio Ranginkaman

* “Queer” is used as equivalent of LGBTIQ+ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, etc.) which is more inclusive.

Eighth Iran Pride Day is approching and will be celebrated in all cities of Iran underground! Because of this important day for Iranian LGBTIQ, JoopeA Foundation has asked Human Rights organizations and activists to show their public support for LGBTIQ Rights in Iran.

This statement has been published on “Queer Of Iran” website which is Pride Project of JoopeA Fooundation in this link.

Here is the statement and signatures:

We support LGBTIQ Rights for Iran

Ten years ago, the existence of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Intersex and Queer people (LGBTIQ) denied by the president of Iran at the time*. While only three years before that two teenagers has been hanged publicly in Mashhad, Iran who have been accused of sodomy**.

LGBTIQ Rights movement for Iran has become more and more active through years. Yet, it lacks public support and visibility.

Hereafter, we, Human Rights activists and organizations, announce our support for LGBTIQ Rights for Iran publicly. We believe LGBTIQ Rights is Human Rights and every human is equal to another in their rights. Every human being should have rights to be who they are and not to afraid of coming out.

Issued by:

It’s time to come out!

Being a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual or queers is not easy, specially in a country such as Iran. LGBTI have to go through a lot. Coming out is one of them which is difficult. It costs a lot even our lives in some cases.

But Iranian LGBTI are fighting for their rights. They stand strong, learn to be brave and come out even though it can make the future difficult. Because it’s everybody’s right to be themselves.

Now, we would like to request you to come out in your support for LGBTI Rights. We understand that showing your support for LGBTI Rights in public might be difficult better than anyone. But it’s the time to take this difficult step with your fellow LGBTI and don’t leave them behind. Because it’s not about a person or an organization, but about Human Rights.

Please review short statement below in favor of LGBTI visibility, sign it by sending your logo and url to pride@joopea.com to join.

Iranian LGBTI are raising bravely to take this huge step of coming out in Pride Amsterdam. We would like to ask you to step forward virtually.

Statement:

JoopeA has been joined the international coalition calls for public support to end increasing persecution of LGBTIQ people in Indonesia.

Link to main statement: https://goo.gl/yWbSD1

We appeal to the people of Indonesia and our friends and supporters around the world to help protect the rights and health of all Indonesian citizens by supporting efforts to end the growing mistreatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Indonesia.

Our appeal follows several cases of human rights and privacy abuses over the last two months against over 150 men who have been unjustly detained, arrested and/or charged – and in two cases severely punished – simply because they allegedly had sex with other men or facilitated men to have sex with other men. The cases we refer to involve the caning of two young men in Aceh as well as two recent police raids, one at a hotel in Surabaya and another at a leisure establishment in Jakarta.

Our appeal also follows an anti-LGBT campaign over the last 12 months by government officials and conservative community groups in Indonesia which encourages this kind of violence, harassment and state-sponsored discrimination against LGBT people across Indonesia.

Firstly, the mistreatment of the men involves violations of natural justice, privacy and human rights not only in relation to the alleged sexual activity, but also in relation to forced HIV testing and the subsequent dissemination of test results to local media. These violations contravene not only many Indonesian laws but also Indonesia’s commitment to a range of international legal frameworks protecting the rights of individuals as well as members of cultural minorities.

Secondly, these violations threaten the privacy and human rights of all Indonesians. If local police are permitted to target one group of people in this way, then other individuals and groups in Indonesia are also potentially at risk of the same kind of treatment. If the law does not protect everyone, then ultimately it protects no one.

Thirdly, this campaign of persecution is also affecting the provision of HIV prevention, testing and treatment services to gay men and men who have sex with men (MSM). Fear of being targeted by police, other authorities and even neighbours is driving gay and MSM communities underground, making it much harder to deliver information and support to an already vulnerable group of people. This is a public health issue that should concern all Indonesians due to the growing impact that HIV is having on Indonesia’s health system.

Further to this, we note that the Indonesia Health Law (UU No 39 Year 2009) guarantees that implementation of health services shall be carried out with responsibility, safety and quality, and distributed evenly and non-discriminatively to all Indonesian people. In addition, the Indonesian government has a stated plan to cover the whole population with Universal Health Coverage (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional) by 2019 with the following objectives as stated by Indonesia’s Minister of Health on 28/08/14:

• To enable people accessing healthcare services without financial hardship
• To perform cost contained and quality controlled healthcare services.
• To strengthen healthcare services at primary and referral health facilities
• To prioritize preventive and promotive measures in rendering healthcare services to reduce prevalence of diseases, lower the numbers of sick-people with efficient healthcare services.

Finally, responding to the plight of others with empathy and benevolence is an essential part of our common humanity. Imagine being subjected to the trauma and humiliation these men have endured, or the discrimination and exclusion that Indonesia’s LGBT community is experiencing, simply for expressing love or a gender identity.

The unwarranted treatment of these men, and the increasingly virulent campaign against Indonesia’s LGBT community, seeks to position LGBT people as ‘outsiders’ and a ‘threat to society’. However, LGBT people are just like everyone else – everyday people and fellow citizens who work hard to create a better life for themselves, their families and their community. As such we appeal to the people of Indonesia and our supporters across the world to join our efforts to ensure these men and all LGBT Indonesians are afforded the legal rights and health services to which they are entitled as citizens, and the compassion and dignity to which they are entitled as human beings.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

• Share this statement with family, friends and colleagues to create awareness about this issue.
• Contact Indonesian government representatives or embassies to protest against the treatment of the men and the campaign against Indonesia’s LGBT community.
• Donate to GAYa NUSANTARA (www.gayanusantara.or.id) or GWL-INA (www.gwl-ina.or.id) to fund their efforts to protect the rights of these men and to fight LGBT discrimination in Indonesia.

ISSUED BY:

• GAYa NUSANTARA – Indonesian LGBT rights organisation
• GWL-INA – Indonesian organisation working on HIV, health and rights issues for gay men, transgender people and men who have sex with men
• APCOM – community network advocating on issues which affect HIV, human rights, health and well-being of gender and sexual minorities in Asia and the Pacific
• Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) – national organization representing Australia’s network of HIV-related organisations
• All Out – non-profit organisation that mobilises local organisations and activists around the world to push for equality for LGBT people
• ARC International – organisation with a full-time presence in Geneva committed to advancing LGBT issues within the UN human rights system
• ASEAN SOGIE Caucus – Southeast Asian community network advocating on issues related to sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression
• Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network – international organisation working to defend the rights of people affected by HIV, from women, newcomers, and gay men, to prisoners, people who use drugs, sex workers, and MSM
• COC – Dutch LGBTI organisation with a special consultative status with the United Nations
• Council for Global Equality – US advocacy organisation seeking to US foreign policy that’s inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity
• Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies – international solidarity network of organizations working on advocacy around sexual and reproductive health and rights
• CODIVA – national network for the CBOs working for MSM and transgender people throughout Timor Leste
• Centre for Human Rights Education at Curtin University – Perth-based Curtin University’s centre for research, postgraduate teaching, critical scholarship and advocacy on human rights
• EGALE Canada Human Rights Trust – Canada’s only national charity promoting LGBT human rights through research, education and community engagement.
• Gays Without Borders – international network of LGBT advocacy activists and organisations
• The Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF) – international organisation focused on HIV, health and rights for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and transgender people
• Global Interfaith Network on Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (GIN-SSOGIE)
• Human Rights Campaign – the largest U.S. lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization with more than 1.5 million members and supporters
• The Global Committee of International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
• ILGA Asia – Asian chapter of International Lesbian and Gay Association
• ILGA Oceania – Pacific chapter of International Lesbian and Gay Association
• International HIV/AIDS Alliance – alliance to support community groups in over 40 countries to take local, national and global action on HIV, health and human rights
• JoopeA Foundation – Netherlands-based organisation working to defend the rights of LGBTIQ people in Iran
• Kaleidoscope Trust – international LGBT rights advocacy organisation
• NAZ Pakistan – community-based organisation working for sexual health and rigths of gay and trans people in Pakitan
• Outright Action International – international LGBT rights advocacy organisation
• Réseau Indonésie – cultural exchange association for Indonesian and French actors
• Samoa Faafafine Association – Samoan transgender and LGB support and advocacy organisation
• Sosaiete O Faafafine In American Samoa (SOFIAS) – American Samoan transgender and LGB support and advocacy organisation
• Stonewall UK – Britain’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans equality charity
• Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Rights (RFSL)
• Andreas Harsono (Jakarta)
• Michael Petrelis (San Francisco)
• Mulyandari Alisyah (Paris)