( CNN ) The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is making headlines again . On Wednesday , images began circulating from the city of Raqqa in Syria of a man being thrown off a building , allegedly after a conviction for a homosexual act . The scene is sickening and horrifying . And it 's meant to be , because ISIS is not only killing individuals it accuses of homosexuality -- it is trying to spread terror among people who do not conform to traditional ideas about what women and men should look like , do , or say . This latest execution is the eighth that ISIS has claimed it carried out for sodomy . In addition , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) has reported the murders of four more men , also accused of sodomy , who were killed in similar style by ISIS in Syria . ISIS is allegedly also responsible for stoning at least three women in Syria accused of adultery . It 's clear that these chilling spectacles are staged with the intent to terrorize . Some of the men were photographed either being thrown from the tops of tall buildings or stoned or shot to death ( and in some cases both ) . In its social media postings about the executions , ISIS shows victims being brought to a city center , with militants purporting to read from a self-styled `` court '' ruling before conducting the execution in front of a crowd . A final picture usually depicts a lifeless body . The militia 's propaganda machine gathers local communities and posts images on social media with a clear intention : to warn against any kind of transgression and spread terror . The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission ( IGLHRC ) , of course , condemns these acts . But it is also important to note that we have very little information on the executions themselves . Indeed , despite our efforts , and those of other independent observers , neither the accusations nor the exact nature , time , and location of the executions can be corroborated . We know nothing about the victims ' sexual orientation or gender identity . Without evidence or independent confirmation , we must therefore be cautious about assuming anything about the individuals involved . Still , whatever the uncertainties in these individual cases , as IGLHRC and the women 's rights organization MADRE have asserted , the public and gruesome nature of these executions , and ISIS 's previous threats against those who commit what they deem to be `` sodomy , '' raise concerns for anyone in Iraq or Syria who does not conform to traditional ideas about `` proper '' women and men . And the reality is that these most recent executions are certain to heighten alarm and psychological suffering among lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender and intersex individuals -- and indeed terrorize the population generally -- in the areas under ISIS 's control . For Iraqi individuals who are perceived to deviate from prevailing gender norms , living under the rule of ISIS means living with the constant shadow of a potential death sentence , as pointed out in our report with MADRE and the Baghdad-based Organization of Women 's Freedom in Iraq . Where do we go from here ? There are no shortcuts or easy answers to stopping the violence of ISIS . The antidote to their bleak worldview will be long-term and hard-won , rooted in the tenacity and wisdom of resilient local communities . However , the international community must act urgently to protect lives and help those fleeing violence today . Internal and external resettlement of persecuted people should be stepped up with greater financial support to U.N. agencies and human rights NGOs who work directly with vulnerable people . Meanwhile , applications for asylum by persecuted individuals should be expedited . We can not sit idly by while ISIS commits wanton violence in the name of protecting `` morality . ''
ISIS images claim to depict gay people being thrown off buildings . Jessica Stern : Antidote to their bleak ##ness may be long - term and hard - hitting .