Mehdi Karroubi After House Arrest: I Am Committed to Defending the Rights of All People

Mehdi Karroubi, a leader of the Green Movement, whose house arrest ended on March 17, stated in his first statement after the lifting of the house arrest that he is committed to defending the rights of all people and the unconditional freedom of political prisoners, especially women in captivity, and he will pursue this matter. Mr. Karroubi, who spent the last 14 years and one month under house arrest, said in his new statement: "I consider myself committed, as before, to not hold back my voice in defense of the rights of every individual, regardless of their views and beliefs, and to defend their legitimate rights and freedoms." He added that "the unconditional freedom of political prisoners, especially women in captivity, regardless of their ideology, is a rightful demand that I will pursue starting today." The house arrest of Mehdi Karroubi, a leader of the Green Movement, has "ended." Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi, two candidates from the controversial 2009 presidential election, who became known as the leaders of the Green Movement, declared Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's victory in that election as a result of vote rigging and interference from security and military institutions. Following this stance, the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi began on February 14, 2011, and Mir Hossein Mousavi and his wife Zahra Rahnavard continue to remain under house arrest without trial or any court proceedings. From the statements of Iranian officials, including the former commander of the police force, it has been inferred that the house arrest of these three individuals was implemented by the command of Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic. In his new statement after the lifting of the house arrest, Mehdi Karroubi said, "Mir Hossein Mousavi and I have been imprisoned under an illegal order that contradicts multiple principles of the Constitution, including the principle of legality of crimes and punishments, and we have been deprived of our legal rights." Mr. Karroubi called for the immediate release of Mir Hossein Mousavi. In the final section of Mehdi Karroubi's statement, it is mentioned that "my release from house arrest coincides with a major crisis that has engulfed the nation and the country in all dimensions, leading it to the brink of bankruptcy and a devastating war. I believe that a significant root of this major crisis should be sought in the project of undermining the republic in the presidential election of 2005."