Rowhani was charged under articles 4 and 42(5) of Law No. (15) of 2014 on the Regulation of Charitable Activities for collecting funds in 2013 and 2014 “without permission from the Board [of Directors of the Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities],” according to court documents reviewed by Human Rights Watch. This law took effect after being published in the country’s official gazette on October 2, 2014. The retrospective application of the penalties under this law contradicts article 40 of Qatar’s constitution and article 15 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

The charges were based on Rowhani’s collection of donations from Bahá'ís in Qatar as part of his role on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Qatar, the Bahá'í International Community (BIC) said. Financial donations are considered a religious obligation (but without pressure or coercion from other Bahá'ís or Bahá'í institutions) and are central to the Bahá'i faith. [Human Right Watch 25 May 2025]