Javad Rouhi

Javad Rouhi, from Amol, is one of the detainees of the 2022 nationwide uprising in Nowshahr. He was sentenced to death three times in an unfair trial by the Revolutionary Court of Sari for a series of charges. He died suspiciously on August 31, 2023, while still in detention in Nowshahr prison, shortly after his death sentence was overturned.

The national uprising of 2022 centered around the “woman, life, freedom” slogan was triggered in response to the murder of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini. The protests began sporadically in several cities and online space but in just a few days it spread to dozens of cities across Iran and the goal of the protesters changed to overthrowing the regime. <symbol-timeline></symbol-timeline>

• <coverage-outsourcing id='53978'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/y23fc5ht'> Javad Rouhi was violently arrested in Nowshahr. In a note that he wrote later in prison, he announced that he was tortured for 44 days in Mazandaran's detention center and that his legs were whipped and batoned for three days and nights. His arrest coincided with the nationwide uprising of 2022. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='47204'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/AlArabiya_Fa/status/1606701408245407745?s=20'> His trial session was held at the first branch of the revolutionary court of Sari. He was arrested during the 2022 national uprising in Noshahr. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='47174'> The first branch of the revolutionary court of Sari by judge Mohammadzadeh tried 18 citizens in one joint case and s sentenced three of them to death. According to reports from human rights groups for several days which finally got confirmed by the state media, the first branch of the revolutionary court of Sari sentenced Arshia Takdastan and Mehdi Mohammadifard each to death twice in a joint case for spreading corruption on earth and waging war against God and Islam (Moharebeh). Javad Rouhi has received three death sentences for apostasy plus the same charges as the other two defendants. According to a state news agency, Tasnim, Mr. Takdastan received the death sentence for acts such as “throwing stones and soda bottle”. Aside from the fact that the state lacks credibility, throwing a few objects cannot provoke the charge of Moharebeh and spreading corruption on earth and lead to death sentences and this is in violation of domestic and international laws and conventions. HRANA had previously reported that in addition to the death sentence, Mr. Takdastan has been sentenced to five years in prison for “agitating and provoking people to wage war and kill each other with the intent to undermine national security” and one year in prison for propaganda against the state and two years in prison for insulting the leader. In another report, HRANA explained that Mr. Mohammadifard has also received six months in prison for propaganda against the state, two years in prison for “agitating and provoking people to wage war and kill each other with the intent to undermine national security”, one year in prison for insulting the leader, and four years in prison for assembly and collusion to act against national security, adding up to seven years and six months in prison. The case has 18 defendants altogether, all of whom have received a vague one-sentence charge from the court, “causing 400 billion rials of damage to government buildings”. Assuming the claim and the times are correct, it seems the court has calculated all the damages throughout the uprising, in many places and times, and obviously, these defendants could not have been present everywhere at all times. HRANA reported that all the confession from Arshia was taken under torture and the only evidence against him in the case is “sending a message to Iran International news channel”. Another source told HRANA that Mr. Mohammadifard’s confessions were also coerced and the only evidence presented against him is a video attributed to him where the face of the accused is not visible, but the state media have accused him of making and using Molotov cocktails. The judiciary's Mizan news agency claimed that Javad Rouhi's charges were based on "damaging public property, burning a Quran, and leading the riots". His attorney Soleiman Vatandoust has rejected the accusations and said: > A review of the CCTV video shows that he was only present at the protests and there is no basis for the charges of Moharebeh or corruption on earth. There is no evidence of my client being involved in encouraging people to shed blood and fight each other, or propaganda against the state; the charge of apostasy through burning the Quran is also wrong. The court ruling has dismissed the defense and based the sentence on Mr. Rouhi's confessions which were taken under torture and severe pressure from the interrogators. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='47205'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/AlArabiya_Fa/status/1606701408245407745?s=20'> The parents of Javad Rouhi released a video expressing concern about their son and asking people to be their voice. They say they were kept in the dark about their son's situation for three months now and have only visited him once. They say after the trial he is still being denied family visits and is currently in an unknown location. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='47208'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/Mkaveh_lawyer/status/1614719905214959618?s=20'> Attorney Majid Kaveh from the Bar Association of Mazandaran tweeted that his request to take Javad Rouhi as a client has been approved and he had a meeting with his client in Noshahr Prison. He said there are "fundamental flaws" in the case that he will bring up in the appeal request. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='47203'> <reference source='https://t.me/Followupiran/564'> It was reported that his charges are spreading corruption on earth, severe disruption of national public order, destruction, arson, and sabotage of public property and equipment, encouraging citizens to riot and collude to commit crimes against national security, and apostasy through burning the Quran and sacrilege. According to the report, after the initial interrogation, he was transferred to IRGC lockup in Tirkola Prison in Sari while he had lost the ability to talk and became incontinent due to the severity of the torture. Reports indicate that after a few days of more intense interrogation, he also lost his mobility, which added to the incontinence, had become a problem for his cellmates. He was eventually transferred to solitary and after a few days, his health deteriorated. He was tortured during interrogations to confess to burning the Quran. According to his family, Mr. Rouhi has a mental illness and it seems like the illness has advanced due to the pressure and torture. He is also OCD. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='47773'> <reference source='https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/01/iran-quash-death-sentences-of-young-protesters-subjected-to-gruesome-torture/'> Amnesty International released a statement demanding the immediate overturn of the death sentences of Arshia Tajdastan, Mehdi Mohammadifard, and Javad Rouhi. Amnesty wrote that the IRGC agents raped Mehdi Mohammadifard and put ice on Javad Rouhi's testicles, which is considered to be sexual torture. Amnesty went on to say that during their time in lockup, they underwent severe, cruel, and inhumane torture including getting hung up upside down, long periods in solitary confinement, taser, and lashing, death threats with a gun to their head, rape, and other sexual violence like putting ice on testicles. Amnesty goes on to say due to the severe torture, Mr. Rouhi's shoulder muscle has been torn, he is now incontinent, has a gastrointestinal illness, mobility and speech problems, his fingers were broken, and has amnesia. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='47209'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/Mkaveh_lawyer/status/1622498915068018688?s=20'> His lawyer Majid Kaveh wrote on Twitter that the case has been sent to the ninth branch of the Supreme Court with an appeal request. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='47194'> <reference source='https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/'> In a call for immediate action, Amnesty International announced that at least 14 of the people arrested during the 2022 uprising in Iran have been sentenced to death and are in danger of execution. Amnesty International stated that the Islamic Republic has violated fair trial principles and has tortured most of these individuals, namely Hamid Ghareh Hassanlou, Mohammad Ghobadlou, Sahand Nour Mohammadzadeh, Shoeyb Mirbalouch Zehi, Ebrahim Narouei, Mansour Dehmordeh, Kambiz Khorute, Javad Rouhi, Mehdi Mohammadifard, and Arshia Takdastan. by cable, whip, electric shock, mock execution, rape, and other types of sexual violence. The report goes on to say that Mehdi Mohammadifard was raped during his interrogation and had to be hospitalized. Based on the reports, Mr. Mohammadifard also experienced beatings, being hung by a foot, threats with a gun, and putting ice on his testicles during interrogation. The report also mentions the repeated torture of Hamid Ghareh Hassanlou which led to his broken ribs and interior bleeding and lung issues. Mohammad Ghobadlou has also experienced several violations and according to the medical examiner his body was wounded and bruised after the arrest. At least 14 out of dozens of prisoners named in the report have been sentenced to death and the rest face heavy charges. Toumaj Salehi, Farzaneh Tahazadeh, Farhad Tahazadeh, Karevan Shahiparvaneh, Reza Eslamdoust, Taher Hamidi, Shahram Marouf Mola, Pouria Javaheri, Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, Hamid Ghareh Hassanlou, Mohammad Ghobadlou, Sahand Nour Mohammadzadeh, Shoeyb Mirbalouch Zehi, Ebrahim Narouei, Mansour Dehmordeh, Kambiz Kharout, Javad Rouhi, Mehdi Mohammadifard, Arshia Takdastan, Mohammad Boroughani, Mehdi Bahman, Majid Kazemi, Manouchehr Mehmannavaz, Saleh Mirhashemi, Saeed Yaghoubi, Sahand Nour Mohammadzadeh, Hossein Mohammadi, Reza Ariya, Mahan Sedarat, Saeed Shirazi, Abolfazl Mehri Hossein Hajilou. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='47772'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3IKXHgL'> Javad Rouhi's attorney Majid Kaveh told Shargh newspaper that his client's only crime was "dancing in the city square and burning a few scarves" and that there is no evidence or basis for the three death sentences for him because there are no eyewitnesses testifying against him. He also said Javad Rouhi has repeatedly and clearly denied all the charges against him. According to Mr. Kaveh, one of the death sentences is for spreading corruption on earth through crimes against national security. Another one is for Moharebeh through destruction and arson of public places, and the third one is for sacrilege and burning a Quran. He said: > The court offered a few photos as evidence in which he is dancing around a fire and throws a scarf in it... it is not clear on what basis of foundation they have accused him of burning a Quran." > He also listed nine legal flaws in the case which he has pointed out in his appeal request to the supreme court, including basing the sentence on the defendant's confession, while "there is no such confession anywhere in the case documents. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='51828'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/43SeA13'> Public relations of the Supreme Court reported that the sentence of three executions of Javad Rouhi and two executions of Mehdi Mohammadifard was overturned in the Supreme Court and referred to a branch of the same rank. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53972'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2023/hranews/a-42442/'> Javad Rouhi, despite the passage of two months since the reversal of the primary court's decision by the Supreme Court's ruling, is undecided in Nowshahr prison. HRANA quoted Majid Kaveh, his lawyer, as saying that until today, the trial court's branch has not been determined and Mr. Rouhi has been in temporary detention for 375 days without changing the criminal security order. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53973'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/25a3hzxy'> IronWire quoted Javad Rouhi's lawyer as saying that his client is still in prison and that Nowshahr prison authorities do not pay attention to the Supreme Court's decision. Referring to the fact that his client's case remains "suspended", Majid Kaveh said that after referring this case to the Sari judiciary and "due to the dissolution of the special branch dealing with these crimes in the Revolutionary Court of Mazandaran province due to the expiration of its mandate", the case was transferred to the Tonekabon Revolutionary Court for consideration in the Hamarad branch. According to this lawyer, "Tonekabon Revolutionary Court did not consider itself at the same rank with Branch One of Sari Revolutionary Court and referred the case to Branch One of Amol Revolutionary Court." He added that the Amol Revolutionary Court again sent Majid Rouhi's case to the first branch of the Sari Revolutionary Court "in view of its lack of competence to handle the case" and "finally, the case was referred to the 8th branch of the Court of Appeals of Mazandaran Province to determine the competent court." But so far no decision has been made about it. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53983'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/w4ds3sa8'> Javad Rouhi died in Nowshahr prison. Majid Kaveh, Javad Rouhi's lawyer, wrote in his account: > Unfortunately, according to the family of Javad Rouhi, he died a few hours ago in Nowshahr prison. According to a report published by Mizan news agency, a media outlet of the Judiciary, Javad Rouhi went to the prison hospital on Wednesday, August 30, at 17:30, and was prescribed diclofenac and cold medicine. He went to the prison hospital again at 20:00 on the same day and was given oxygen treatment, received oxygen for 15 minutes and was returned to prison. According to the same report, Javad Rouhi suffered a seizure at 3:30 am on Thursday, August 31, and was taken to Beheshti Nowshahr Hospital. Relatives of Javad Rouhi have told Radio Farda that their sources in prison told them that Mr. Rouhi was not in good physical condition when he was returned to prison: > He was not well at all. He should have been sent to the hospital. But every time he went to the prison hospital, he was returned to prison. They did not pay attention to his condition until it was too late. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53989'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/35bhsx5n'> According to Voice of America, one day after Javad Rouhi's death was confirmed, the public relations of Nowshahr prison in a notice sent to Iran's state news agencies, claimed that Javad Rouhi had a history of taking methadone prescribed by a doctor due to addiction; and In recent months, he has been trying to quit methadone and reduce his intake. In this statement, it is stated that in 2016, 2017, and 2020, he "had a history of convulsions" and even "attempted suicide". </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53981'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/2zwa637k'> Following the reactions to the suspicious death of Javad Rouhi in Nowshahr prison, the "Iran Human Rights Organization" published a statement "requesting an investigation into the causes of Javad Rouhi's death by the UN fact-finding committee." </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53982'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/4bkatvp4'> In a strong statement, Amnesty International called for the judicial inquiry of all officials of the Islamic Republic who are "suspected of involvement in the crime against Javad Rouhi". </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53980'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/2y96w4ra'> The Voice of America quoted a source close to Javad Rouhi's family as saying that his relatives were under pressure for how to hold the memorial ceremony. According to this report, the family was "pressured" to change the date of the ceremony in the announcement they issued. In the announcement about this, it states that the ceremony in the burial place village is limited to two days, while Rouhi's family had already announced that they will hold his commemoration ceremony for four days. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53987'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/w4ds3sa8'> One of Javad Rouhi's relatives told Radio Farda: > They did whatever they wanted to him. Javad was killed after they gave him three death sentences. Javad died at the same time. Although the verdict was later overturned, Javad never returned to normal. The mental pressure and trauma caused by the sentence and the charges that were attributed to him were terrible. The interrogator did not give up. He told him that you will not leave the prison alive. That's it. They did not even release his body. He was buried in the presence of the security officers. He said that from the time of the reversal of the sentence until the day Javad died, his family and lawyer visited all the authorities and institutions they knew, but his release was denied. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53977'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/4eaumhtz'> A month after Javad Rouhi's death in prison, Atena Daemi published the journal of Javad Rouhi on her account on X, which show that he was severely tortured during detention to obtain a forced confession. In his description of his arrest, Javad Rouhi wrote: > I was brutally arrested at nine o'clock at night. I was beaten up until the morning and there are taser marks on my back. I had surgery on my back in 2021 and I was hospitalized in Imam Reza, Imam Khomeini and 17 Shahrivar Amol hospitals for four months due to wounds and illness, and my body and mind were injured, and under torture and severe beatings, the previous operation wound was opened. He wrote: > During detention, I was hospitalized for 48 hours in Sari provincial hospital, and the reason for my hospitalization was torture and forced confession. He further said that for 44 days, he was tortured and interrogated in the intelligence and security department of Mazandaran province. Mr. Rouhi wrote about this period: > They beat my feet with whips and batons for three days and nights. As a result of many blows, my right leg is paralyzed and numb. In his writings, addressing the government officials, he wrote: > If they send me to the forensic medicine and my body is examined and investigated, it is proof that I have been severely tortured and the effects of torture are evident. With this kind of severe torture, even the strongest and healthiest people in the community submit to a forced confession, let alone me... </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53979'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/yb542vne'> Sadegh Rouhi, the brother of Javad Rouhi, one of the victims of the nationwide protests of 2022, announced on his Instagram account that his brother's 40th-day ceremony was held. Daadban quoted Mr. Rouhi's brother as saying that the ceremony on the 40th day of Javad Rouhi's death will be held at his gravesite in Imamzadeh Yousefrezai, Kilikan Amol village. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53993'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/4jsmshdf'> IranWire quoted Javad Rouhi's lawyer as saying that with the announcement of the forensic doctor's theory about the cause of Javad Rouhi's death in prison, a case has been filed against the warden and doctor of Nowshahr prison on the charge of "murder" and has been referred to the prosecutor's office. Javad Rouhi's lawyer wrote on the X social network: > The cause of death of Javad Rouhi in the health ward of Nowshahr prison, is the decreased level of consciousness due to drug interactions (the same effect, addition of drugs) referring to the repeated injections of drugs by the prison doctor hours before his death. Majid Kaveh added: > Therefore, a case was filed against the warden of Nowshahr prison, a select group of prison guards and was referred to the first investigation branch of the Public and Revolution Prosecutor's Office of the capital of the province, which issued an order to investigate the case. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>