Amnesty International calls for urgent action to stop execution of 3 protesters in Iran

Amnesty International calls for urgent action to stop the execution of three protesters, Javad Rouhi, Mehdi Mohammadifard and Arshia Takdastan.

 News Center- The protests that started in Iran and Rohjilat following the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini by Iran’s so-called “morality police” have entered their 136th day. Despite the Iranian regime’s ill-treatment, attacks, arrests and torture, people continue to take to the streets to protest the regime.

Amnesty International released a statement calling for urgent action to stop the execution of three protesters named Javad Rouhi (31), Mehdi Mohammadifard (19) and Arshia Takdastan (18).

“Amnesty International learned that they were forcibly disappeared, tortured and otherwise ill-treated to “confess”, including through solitary confinement, suspension, floggings, electric shocks, rape and other forms of sexual violence, and death threats at gunpoint. As a result, Javad Rouhi suffered rotator cuff injuries, urinary incontinence, digestive complications and mobility and speech impairment while Arshia Takdastan sustained a broken toe and experienced memory loss. According to information gathered by the organization, Mehdi Mohammadifard sustained a broken nose and rectal bleeding as a result of rape. They were denied access to a lawyer during the investigation phase and access to a lawyer of their choosing at trial, consisting of a session lasting under an hour for each,” the statement said.

I urge you to immediately quash the convictions and death sentences of Arshia Takdastan, Mehdi Mohammadifard and Javad Rouhi, and drop all charges related to their peaceful participation in protests. If charged with internationally recognizable crimes, retrial proceedings must meet international standards of fair trial, without resort to the death penalty and excluding coerced “confessions”. Their allegations of torture and other ill-treatment must be investigated independently and all those suspected of responsibility held accountable. I also urge you to grant them specialist healthcare for their torture-related injuries.

Calling on everyone to write a letter to Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, Iran’s head of judiciary, to immediately quash the convictions and death sentences of Arshia Takdastan, Mehdi Mohammadifard and Javad Rouhi, the Amnesty International said, “I urge you ( Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei) to immediately quash the convictions and death sentences of Arshia Takdastan, Mehdi Mohammadifard and Javad Rouhi, and drop all charges related to their peaceful participation in protests. If charged with internationally recognizable crimes, retrial proceedings must meet international standards of fair trial, without resort to the death penalty and excluding coerced “confessions”. Their allegations of torture and other ill-treatment must be investigated independently and all those suspected of responsibility held accountable. I also urge you to grant them specialist healthcare for their torture-related injuries.”