Gay refugees in fear of attacks on Nauru

Human rights groups are calling on the government to let two gay Iranian refugees settle in Australia and leave Nauru, where they live in fear of violence.

Tent accommodation at the government's detention centre, Nauru. (File) Source: AAP

Activists are calling on the government to settle in Australia a gay Iranian couple who have been found to be refugees but are living in fear of physical attacks on Nauru.

The men have been bashed and only leave their unit when given a security escort by an Australian government contractor, the Human Rights Law Centre says.

Both have been found to be refugees, having come from Iran where they risked public execution for being gay, but were released to live on Nauru.

Under that country's law "they risk being punished with 14 years of hard labour if they are found to have 'carnal knowledge' of another man which the law states is `against the order of nature'," HRLC advocacy director Anna Brown said.

"The Australian government knowingly and deliberately allows gay men to be warehoused on tiny islands where they face assaults, prejudice and extremely harsh criminal penalties," she said.

The HRLC and several other human rights groups have launched a petition asking Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to allow the couple to settle in Australia.

"Please help, please help us," one of the men has said to the people of Australia, according to the HRLC.