Advisor to Mehdi Karroubi Released from Prison on One Billion Toman Bail

According to the websites Kalemeh and Saham News, close to Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, Ismail Gerami-Moghadam, an advisor to Mr. Karroubi, was released from prison on Tuesday evening, October 20, on a bail of one billion tomans. Reports of Mr. Gerami-Moghadam's release come after 'deep concerns' were raised about his health condition. His lawyer reported on October 9 that he had 'almost lost his eyesight' and forensic medicine stated that he 'cannot endure imprisonment.' The Kalemeh website also mentioned that doctors at Evin Prison had warned about Gerami-Moghadam's physical condition 'since last month' and had 'ruled that he cannot endure imprisonment.' However, due to what has been described as 'the procrastination of judicial authorities,' his release was delayed until Tuesday evening. The Saham News website, which is close to Mehdi Karroubi, reported that the judge ultimately agreed to his temporary release by issuing the heavy bail of one billion tomans. Iranian judicial officials have yet to respond to these reports and the warnings regarding Mr. Gerami-Moghadam's health. Ismail Gerami-Moghadam, who was both the spokesperson for the National Trust Party and an advisor to Mehdi Karroubi, had been living outside of Iran in recent years and was arrested upon his return to Iran on July 16. He was sentenced to one year in prison for 'propaganda against the regime' and five years for 'gathering and colluding against the regime.' Mr. Gerami-Moghadam was previously a representative of Bojnourd in the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Zahra Rahnavard, Mehdi Karroubi, and Mir Hossein Mousavi have been under house arrest since early March 2011, following widespread protests against the results of the 2009 elections. Efforts and requests from domestic and international groups to lift their house arrest have so far been unsuccessful. Senior Iranian officials refer to the 2009 protests as a 'sedition' and label prominent opposition figures as 'leaders of sedition.' Many associates of Karroubi and Mousavi, as well as other citizens, were arrested in the months following the protests, and some lost their lives during the protests.