Javad Rouhi, imprisoned protester, has died; some users express doubt about the cause of his death

Javad Rouhi, a protester who was arrested in connection with the protests in the second half of 2022 in Mazandaran and sentenced to three death penalties, died "after being transferred to the hospital." The Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, claimed that Javad Rouhi was transferred to Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Nowshahr early on Friday "due to seizures and subsequently passed away." However, opponents and many users on social media say he was killed in Nowshahr prison. The 1500 Tasvir channel, which covers news related to protests and protesters, stated that Javad Rouhi was murdered. Atena Daemi, a civil activist, also wrote that Javad Rouhi was killed. Majid Kaveh, Javad Rouhi's lawyer, confirmed the "death" of his client "in Nowshahr prison" citing his family. Hamidreza Taghipour also stated in an interview with VOA that Javad Rouhi was killed due to physical and psychological torture in prison. Last month, Javad Rouhi's lawyer stated that despite the annulment of the three death sentences by the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic, this imprisoned protester remained "in limbo" and his case was being passed between several branches of the Revolutionary Court. Majid Kaveh said on Tuesday, August 7, "More than two months after the annulment of the death sentence, the status of the case remains unclear and its administrative process is being pursued in a strange state of confusion." In a report from January 20, the Mizan news agency identified Javad Rouhi, a 35-year-old protester from Amol, as "one of the main leaders" of the Nowshahr protests on Sunday, December 11, 2022. Following that, Javad Rouhi, who was arrested on the evening of September 21 in Nowshahr, was charged with "corruption on earth" and "waging war against God" under the pretext of "disrupting public order and security, inciting some citizens to create insecurity, gathering and colluding to commit crimes against the internal security of the country, apostasy through disrespecting the Quran and burning it, and insulting sacred beliefs" and was sentenced to three death penalties and seven and a half years of prison by Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sari; however, in early June 2023, this sentence was annulled by the decision of the advisor and deputy of Branch Nine of the Supreme Court. Javad Rouhi's lawyer, in an interview with the Shargh newspaper, emphasized the "indecision of this prisoner and the disregard for the Supreme Court's ruling," stating: "The conviction of Javad Rouhi, both in terms of the limits of punishment for corruption on earth and waging war against God, and in terms of punishment for several prison terms as described in the ruling, contradicts each other and is therefore not valid." This legal expert, emphasizing the "confusion of the case after the annulment of the sentence," said that after sending the case to the judiciary of Sari County, "due to the dissolution of the special branch dealing with crimes in the provincial Revolutionary Court" and "the expiration of its mission period," this protester's case was assigned for review to a parallel branch of the "Revolutionary Court of Tonkabon," but that court deemed itself "not competent to handle it" and referred the case to "Branch One of the Revolutionary Court of Amol," which also deemed itself "not competent" and sent it to Branch One of the Revolutionary Court of Sari, and ultimately the case was referred to "Branch Eight of the Provincial Court of Appeals of Mazandaran" to determine the competent court and remains unresolved. Javad Rouhi's defense lawyer added that his client has been in "temporary detention" in Nowshahr prison for more than "315 days" since "September 21, 2022," without the conversion of the security measure. Kaveh Rad expressed hope that with the designation of a competent branch for the re-examination of his client's case, there would be a possibility to submit a request for the "conversion of the security measure" for Javad Rouhi "from temporary detention to other milder security measures," leading to his release. Based on documented investigative reports, the violation of detainees' rights, lack of access to treatment, and the application of torture and pressure on imprisoned protesters to extract confessions have repeatedly led to the deaths of prisoners in the detention centers and prisons of the Islamic Republic. The Committee for the Follow-up of Detainees announced on Wednesday, January 3, 2023, that since the beginning of the nationwide protests in Iran, which started after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the police, at least fifteen people had died by that date "due to torture for confession or as a result of preventing effective treatment after being shot."