Hossein Karroubi: My Father Still Demands a Trial

The son of Mehdi Karroubi reacted to the statements of some Friday prayer leaders and officials of the Islamic Republic regarding the trial of the leaders of the protests against the 2009 election results and their 'execution', emphasizing that his father still demands a trial. Hossein Karroubi stated in an interview with ILNA on Saturday, December 24, that last week, Mr. Karroubi had his weekly meeting with his family, which coincided with the Yalda Night. In response to the remarks made about the 'trial and execution' of the Green Movement leaders, he said: 'During this time, the words of some Friday prayer leaders and officials regarding the trial have reached my father, and the raising of these issues comes at a time when my father has repeatedly not only expressed his readiness for trial but has also requested it himself.' Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have repeatedly called for their trial in a public court, but as Ali Motahari and some other officials of the Islamic Republic have stated, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, has opposed their trial or lifting of house arrest. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesperson for the judiciary, stated on December 7 that the house arrest of these three individuals was based on a resolution by the 'National Security Council', and if this council changes its resolution, the judiciary is 'ready' to try these three. Following these remarks, Mohammad Taghi Karroubi, Mr. Karroubi's son, announced that his father had reacted to these statements by saying, 'Pray that the gentlemen find the courage to try me in a public court.' On Friday, December 24, Friday prayer leaders in most cities of Iran strongly attacked Mr. Mousavi and Karroubi on the occasion of the rally of supporters of the Iranian government on December 30, 2009, with some declaring that the verdict for the leaders of the Green Movement in the event of a trial would be 'execution'. For instance, Youssef Tabatabai, the Friday prayer leader of Isfahan, stated that they 'must be executed' and are only enjoying their time at home due to 'Islamic compassion'. Kazem Sedighi, the Friday prayer leader of Tehran, also dismissed calls for lifting the house arrest or holding a trial for Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi as 'irrelevant remarks'. Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, the leaders of the protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election, have been under house arrest without trial since February 2011. Mehdi Karroubi, after three years of 'house arrest' in a 'safe house' of the Ministry of Intelligence, was transferred to his home in Jamaran in February 2014 but remains under house arrest. The families of these three individuals have repeatedly expressed concern about their physical condition. Meanwhile, Hossein Karroubi stated that his father was transferred to Laleh Hospital about two months ago due to back pain, and after that, the doctor announced that he should 'rest completely for a month'. He reported that Mr. Karroubi had started walking again about 15 days ago after this month of rest. Hossein Karroubi also mentioned that his father has remained silent regarding the resignation of Rasoul Montajebnia, the deputy secretary-general of the National Trust Party, and has left the decision on this matter to the party's central council. However, ILNA reported on Saturday that Mehdi Karroubi, the secretary-general of the National Trust Party, accepted the resignation of his deputy and left the decision on this matter to the party's central council. According to this news agency, the central council of the National Trust Party was in favor of 'interaction' with the Supreme Policy Council of Reformists, but Mr. Montajebnia had expressed his opposition to this decision. Following these disagreements, the public relations of the National Trust Party announced that the party has no spokesperson, but Ismail Gharami Moghadam, the spokesperson of this party, reacted to this announcement by saying that changing the spokesperson is the responsibility of the central council, not the deputy of the party. According to this news agency, these disagreements ultimately led to Rasoul Montajebnia's resignation from the position of deputy of the National Trust Party, and Mr. Karroubi accepted this resignation and left the decision on this matter to the party's central council. The National Trust Party was founded in 2005 with Mehdi Karroubi at its center, and after the protests against the 2009 presidential election, the spokesperson of this party announced that its office had been sealed. However, after the 11th presidential election in Iran, which resulted in Hassan Rouhani's victory, senior members of this party announced its return to the political arena.