Tehran: The Iran’s Revolutionary Court (IRC) has sentenced a mentally ill man to death on charges of apostasy for allegedly burning a holy Quran during the early phase of the protests triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, local media reported.
35-year-old Javad Rouhi, who suffers from a severe mental illness, was accused of entering a local traffic police headquarters in September 2022, along with two others, and setting the building on fire, including copies of the Quran.
Rouhi, was sentenced to death on three charges— waging war against God, corruption on earth and apostasy. He was detained on September 22, 2022.
After his arrest, he was transferred to a detention center supervised by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. He was left unable to speak and walk after being severely tortured while in detention.
According to Mizan Agency, which is run by Iran’s judiciary, the head of the province’s supreme court said that Rouhi “admitted the fact that he destroyed the headquarters and set it on fire.”
Rouhi was prevented from appointing a lawyer of his choice, as court authorities required him to be represented by state advocate Habibullah Qazvini.
The judiciary had already carried out death sentences against four people who were convicted of assaulting security men on the sidelines of the protests that took place in various parts of the country and are approaching the completion of their fourth month.
Of the 18 death sentences, four have been carried out and two others have been approved by the Supreme Court.
Since September 16, Iran has been witnessing protests following the death of Amini, three days after she was arrested by the morality police for not adhering to the strict rules of dress in the Islamic Republic.
