Change in the Memorial Ceremony for Javad Rouhi Under Pressure from Government Institutions

An informed source told Voice of America that government institutions have put the family of Javad Rouhi under pressure regarding how to hold his memorial ceremony. Changes in the days of the ceremony in the announcement issued by Rouhi's family are one of the instances of 'pressure' on this family. Previously, the Rouhi family had stated that the memorial ceremony would be held over four days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday), but in the newly released announcement, the ceremony in the village where he is buried has been limited to Sunday and Monday. Javad Rouhi, a protester from Amol who was arrested in connection with the protests in the second half of 2022 in Nowshahr and sentenced to 'three executions,' died last Thursday morning after being transferred from prison to the hospital. The Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, claimed that Rouhi was transferred to Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Nowshahr 'due to seizures' and 'passed away,' but this narrative has been met with skepticism by opponents and many users on social media. Arash Sadeghi, a human rights activist, noted in a post on the platform 'X' (formerly Twitter) that the violation of the three execution sentences for Rouhi emphasized that after '100 days,' judicial authorities had not sent his case to 'an equivalent branch for re-examination,' and 'the pressure of the death sentence, 100 days of waiting,' and 'uncertainty created a gradual death for him.' The Iran Human Rights Organization also reported on Saturday, September 2, citing its informed source, contradictions in the statements of responsible officials, stating that while the cause of Rouhi's death was listed as 'cardiac arrest' in the forensic report, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officials verbally announced the cause of death as 'stroke.' This organization also reported that before handing over Rouhi's body, they 'obtained a commitment' from the family. Previously, Pegah Bani Hashemi, a lawyer, emphasized in an interview with Voice of America that the judiciary's admission that Rouhi had seizures meant that his imprisonment was illegal. Additionally, Hamidreza Taghipour told the Persian section of Voice of America that Rouhi was killed due to physical and psychological torture in prison. Amnesty International also recently called for 'investigation and inquiry' and conducting 'independent investigations' into the cause of this political prisoner's death. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department also expressed horror at Rouhi's death and reports of his torture. This spokesperson, in a written response to the Persian section of Voice of America, referred to 'heartbreaking reports' of 'neglect and torture' of Rouhi during his detention, adding that Rouhi's death is the latest example of the Islamic Republic's efforts to 'instill fear' among the people of Iran and 'suppress any dissent.'