Fatemeh Karroubi: Elders Should Not Avoid Discussing House Arrest

Fatemeh Karroubi, the wife of Mehdi Karroubi, one of the leaders of the protests against the 2009 election results, urged the officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran to not avoid discussing the house arrest of these leaders and at least once provide a 'clear' explanation about it. According to ISNA news agency, Ms. Karroubi made this request at the Congress of the University Teachers Association on Thursday, December 2. Without mentioning any specific individual, she said: 'I ask the elders and officials to explain clearly about the house arrest, as avoiding the issue is not right.' Fatemeh Karroubi pointed out that nearly three thousand days have passed since the house arrest of Mehdi Karroubi, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, and Zahra Rahnavard, describing their detention as irrational, inhumane, and illegal, and stated that this issue has become 'food for the enemies.' She criticized the statements made against the detainees from 'official and national podiums' and questioned, 'With what authority does our National Security Council make such decisions (house arrests)?' Ms. Karroubi also criticized that since the house arrest of her husband, Mr. Mousavi, and Ms. Rahnavard in February 2011, they have not been given 'even a moment' to defend themselves, adding: 'The gentlemen are looking to prolong their conditions, which has become the case. What answer will they give to the dear nation in the future? These dear ones are in the hearts of the people.' The wife of Mehdi Karroubi added that 'they say there will be a breakthrough; we have not seen it. Nothing has happened.' She confirmed that the house of Mehdi Karroubi is now free of agents, that two people besides family have visited him, and that Mr. Karroubi's children have been visiting their father. Mahmoud Sadeghi, a member of parliament, also wished for Mehdi Karroubi's health at this congress, saying: 'We pray that God creates a means for the freedom of the detainees and those who sacrificed their freedom for the country.' The house arrest of Mehdi Karroubi, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, and Zahra Rahnavard continues despite Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, having promised to lift their house arrest during both of his election campaigns in 2013 and 2017, which he has not yet fulfilled. Previously, Ali Motahari, the deputy speaker of parliament, stated that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, supports the continuation of the house arrest. Meanwhile, the requests of the leaders of the protests against the 2009 election results to appear in a public court have not been accepted, and several military and clerical supporters of the leader of the Islamic Republic have threatened them with heavy sentences, including execution. In the meantime, after two meetings of Ismail Doosti, a member of the National Trust Party, with Mehdi Karroubi at his place of house arrest and recent meetings of the daughters and two sisters of Mir-Hossein Mousavi with him and Ms. Rahnavard, Ali Motahari stated that it seems 'new conditions' have emerged for the detainees. On November 28, Hossein Karroubi, Mehdi Karroubi's son, reported that Mojtaba Zolnour, a representative from Qom in parliament and a member of the Front of Steadfastness, met with Mr. Karroubi on November 25. According to Mehdi Karroubi's son, Mr. Zolnour, who is an 'old friend' of his father, was selected for this meeting through the Supreme National Security Council. Ashraf Boroujerdi, the head of the National Library of Iran, also stated on November 19 that based on an 'agreement' between Mr. Rouhani and other institutions of the Islamic Republic, it has been decided that by the end of 2017, the house arrest of the leaders of the Green Movement will be 'gradually reduced or lifted.' However, he did not mention the details of this agreement.