Human Rights Watch Expresses Concern for the Health of Mousavi, Karroubi, and Rahnavard

Human Rights Watch issued a statement expressing concern for the health of Mehdi Karroubi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mir Hossein Mousavi, who have been under house arrest for over six years. On Wednesday, August 2, the organization referenced recent interviews with the families of Karroubi and Mousavi, urging the Iranian authorities to 'immediately provide them with unrestricted access to adequate medical care.' Sarah Leah Whitson, the director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East division, stated, 'Iranian officials have deprived Mousavi, Karroubi, and Rahnavard of their most basic rights for six years without a judicial order or even the pretense of a fair trial.' Mehdi Karroubi, Fatemeh Karroubi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mir Hossein Mousavi have been under house arrest since March 2011 following protests against the results of the 2009 elections. Fatemeh Karroubi was released from house arrest after several months. Human Rights Watch noted Karroubi's heart condition, which led to an angioplasty, and his slow heart rate, citing his son Mohammad Taghi Karroubi, who expressed that the family's concerns have grown due to the authorities' actions over the past few years, fearing that 'the Ministry of Intelligence has made someone responsible for the case who considers ending the lives of these detainees as their duty.' The organization further stated that Mr. Karroubi's son holds President Hassan Rouhani 'responsible for Karroubi's health and safety.' Human Rights Watch also highlighted statements from the daughters of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard, noting that the former Prime Minister of Iran 'suffers from severe fluctuations in blood pressure, dizziness, and chronic kidney issues.' The statement emphasized that 'Iranian officials, including the judiciary, have provided no legal justification for the arbitrary and ongoing detention of opposition figures.' The organization added that Hassan Rouhani promised during his 2013 election campaign to lift the house arrest of former candidates, 'but he did not, and if he has made any efforts to free them, little information is available about it.' Government officials and some members of parliament, including current Deputy Speaker Ali Motahari, have repeatedly stated that lifting the house arrest is beyond the government's authority. Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, harshly criticized Rouhani's comments about lifting the house arrest during the recent presidential election battles, saying, 'What are you to break the house arrest?' Iranian officials have repeatedly stated, both directly and indirectly, that the decision to lift the house arrest rests with Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. Ali Motahari previously quoted Ayatollah Khamenei as saying in response to his question about lifting the house arrest, 'If they are tried, their sentence will be very heavy, and you will definitely not be satisfied. We have currently shown leniency towards them.' During the recent presidential election campaign, one of the main slogans of Rouhani's supporters in almost all cities in Iran was: 'Our message is clear, the house arrest must be lifted.' In a campaign rally in Kerman, Rouhani responded to calls for lifting the house arrest of Mousavi and Karroubi by saying, 'I promise to convey your message and pursue it with all my might.' Now, in light of Mehdi Karroubi's heart condition, many reformist political figures and student organizations are calling for the lifting of the house arrest. In this context, Mehdi Karroubi was again hospitalized in the intensive care unit after heart angiography. The Ministry of Health stated that no responsibility for the treatment of detainees has been assigned to them. The government spokesperson said that the leadership does not consider the issue of house arrest unsolvable.