Advisor to the Representative of the Supreme Leader in the IRGC: Lifting House Arrest is Conditional on Proving Fraud in the 2009 Elections

The advisor to the Representative of the Supreme Leader in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) states that if a court is held for the house-arrested individuals, they must prove their claims of fraud in the 2009 elections to be acquitted. Yadollah Javani wrote in a note published in the 'Javan' newspaper, close to the IRGC, that the house arrest of the leaders of the Green Movement, whom he refers to as 'leaders of sedition,' is 'legal.' This note is published while Mehdi Karroubi, one of the presidential candidates from June 2009, who has been under house arrest since 2010, recently went on a hunger strike demanding a public trial. Javani questions whether those calling for a court have considered the consequences of their actions, stating that if a court is formed, it is the defendants who must prove their innocence. This claim comes despite the fact that under both the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran and those of other countries, when someone is accused of wrongdoing, the private plaintiff or public prosecutor must prove the charges against the accused, not the accused proving their innocence. According to the advisor, 'the house-arrested individuals have claimed fraud in the elections and must prove this fraud; otherwise, they must bear responsibility for all the unrest and the human and financial damages inflicted on the country.' On the other hand, Parvaneh Salahshouri, a representative from Tehran, stated in a public session of the parliament that more than six and a half years have passed since the house arrest of these individuals, and they are in a concerning health condition. This member of the Cultural Commission added that 'unfortunately, it has come to the point where Sheikh Mehdi Karroubi has had to go on a hunger strike to demand a fair trial.' She noted the advanced age of the house-arrested individuals, stating that any moment could lead to unfortunate incidents for them and that 'continuing the house arrest will have a heavy cost for the system.' Previously, Ali Motahari, the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, had requested an explanation from Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the First Deputy and Spokesman of the Judiciary, regarding the opposition to the request for a public trial for the house-arrested individuals. Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi have been under house arrest for nearly seven years without any judicial order. Last week, Mehdi Karroubi, starting a hunger strike, demanded a public trial and the withdrawal of security forces from the house arrest location.