Hassan Rouhani

As Head of the Defence Commission, he has played a role in violating the rights of Iranian women, by forcing women in the army and its affiliate offices  to wear the hijab.

Video of Rouhani’s interview about his role in imposition of compulsory hijab, Justice for Iran Archive, 2019

https://justice4iran.org/persian/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Rouhani-000.mp4

“Rouhani’s view on Compulsory Hijab”, Young Journalists Club, 26 Mar 2016

https://justice4iran.org/persian/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Rohani-2.pdf

As secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, he was responsible for the crackdown on student protests in June 1999. Following the closure of Salam newspaper on 6 July , 1999, a protest rally was held in a dormitory of the University of Tehran. Following this rally, plainclothes forces (consisting of the Basij and extremist militias such as Ansar Hezbollah) attacked the university dormitory on 9 July 1999, beating students and destroying property, and arresting a large number of students.

Video of Rouhani’s speech in Tehran’s Friday prayer, Fars News, 14 July 1999 https://justice4iran.org/persian/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Rouhani-2.mp4

“Gushing Blood: A documentary about 9 July protests”, IranWire, July 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZPoTQKnyvc

As the President of the Islamic Republic, he was responsible for the murder and brutal crackdown on protesters during the protests in 2017-2018. 

The nationwide protests of 2017-2018, known as the protests of December 2017, were widespread demonstrations in protest of inflation and corruption, which began on 28 Dec 2017 in Mashhad and several cities in Khorasan province and quickly spread throughout Iran, including harsher anti-government slogans. .The crackdown on protesters led to the deaths of at least 25 protesters and detainees.

“More protesters killed in Iran as Rouhani's plea fails to dampen unrest”, The Guardian, 1 Jan 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/01/more-protesters-die-in-iran-as-rouhanis-plea-fails-to-quell-public-anger

As the president of the Islamic Republic, he was responsible for detaining and torturing protesting workers including Ismael Bakhshi and workers of Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Factory and for his government's ongoing crackdown on civil society activists.

“ Tortured Iranian Labor Activist Demands Accountability from the Government”, Radio Zamaneh, 5 Jan 2019 https://en.radiozamaneh.com/29053/

“Labor Activists Arrested after Speaking out against Torture in Jail”, Radio Zamaneh, 22 Jan 2019 https://en.radiozamaneh.com/29065/

“Peaceful Labor Activist Arsham Rezaee Sentenced to Prison Without Access to Counsel”, Centre for Human Rights in Iran, 28 March 2019 https://iranhumanrights.org/2019/03/peaceful-labor-activist-arsham-rezaee-sentenced-to-prison-without-access-to-counsel/

Michael Lipin, “2 Civil Activists Reportedly Held in Iranian Kurdistan”, VOA news, 15 Feb 2019 https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/voa-news-iran/2-civil-activists-reportedly-held-iranian-kurdistan

As head of the government, he was responsible for using forces under his governance to arrest, suppress, and kill protesters  during the November 2019 protests.

The November 2019 protests were a series of widespread popular demonstrations against the Iranian government, which began on 15 November, 2019 in protest of the tripling of gasoline prices. The protests spread to 29 provinces in more than 100 cities across the country. According to Amnesty International, at least 304 people were killed in the protests.

Shoot to Kill:Preliminary Findings of Justice For Iran’s Investigation into the November 2019 Protests, February 2020, p 13 https://justice4iran.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SHOOT-TO-KILL-Preliminary-Findings-of-Justice-for-Irans-Investigation-into-the-November-2019-Protests.pdf

“Iran: Details released of 304 deaths during protests six months after security forces’ killing spree”, Amnesty International, 20 May 2020 https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/05/iran-details-released-of-304-deaths-during-protests-six-months-after-security-forces-killing-spree/

“Iran protests: Rouhani claims victory against 'enemy' after crackdown”, BBC, 20 November 2019 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-50486646

As the president of the Islamic Republic, he has been responsible for large-scale repression and arrest of Gonabadi dervishes and Baha'i citizens by his government's Ministry of Intelligence due to their religious beliefs .

On 19 February 2018, a group of Gonabadi dervishes (a religious minority belonging to the Sufi sect of Iran) gathered in protest of the arrest of fellow dervishes in the Pasdaran area of Tehran. On  20 February, 2018, the protest was brutally  suppressed by the security forces, the Basij and the IRGC.

“Iran: Crackdown on Dervish Minority” Human Rights Watch, 15 March 2018 https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/15/iran-crackdown-dervish-minority

“Iran: Arrests, Harassment of Baha’is”, Human Rights Watch, 16 October 2018 https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/10/16/iran-arrests-harassment-bahais

“In shift, EU sanctions Iran over planned Europe attacks”, Reuters, 8 January 2019 https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-iran-sanctions/in-shift-eu-sanctions-iran-over-planned-europe-attacks-idUKKCN1P20SQ

Dutch Prosecutor's Office: Accused of Murder of Mohammad Reza Kolahy and Ahmad Nisi Arrested in Dubai, BBC Farsi, December 16, 2019

https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-50810768

The role of two Iranian diplomats in the assassination of the "black box" of the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC, Persian Independent, March 28, 2020

https://www.independentpersian.com/node/49081/%D9%86%D9%82%D8%B4-%D8%AF%D9%88-%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%BE%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B1-%C2%AB%D8%AC%D8%B9%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%87%C2%BB-%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88-%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87