Mohammad Taghi Karroubi: The Ministry of Intelligence is Irresponsible Regarding House Arrest

Fatemeh Karroubi, the wife of Mehdi Karroubi, one of the leaders of the protests against the 2009 presidential election results, wrote a letter to the Iranian Minister of Intelligence regarding the ministry's behavior towards the house arrest of electoral candidates, stating that "contrary to public perception, the government has not only made no changes to the implementation of the house arrests but we are witnessing even greater irresponsibility from those enforcing these arrests." In her letter, Mrs. Karroubi criticized what she called "extralegal behaviors" and the lack of legal standards, as well as the passivity and irresponsibility within the Ministry of Intelligence. Radio Farda interviewed Mohammad Taghi Karroubi, Mehdi Karroubi's son, in London about the issues that prompted Mrs. Karroubi to write this letter. Mohammad Taghi Karroubi stated that the house arrest was initially enforced by the Ministry of Intelligence, emphasizing that the decision to undertake such illegal actions is one issue, while the legality of the house arrest itself is another. He noted that the Ministry of Intelligence has been responsible for this from the beginning and continues to be so. He mentioned that during the previous government, the ministry was unresponsive in many cases, but there was a process that, unfortunately, has not been followed in the current government, which has been in power for over 21 months. He specifically pointed out that there used to be a liaison during the previous Minister of Intelligence who could at least coordinate minor issues, such as arranging medication for Mr. Karroubi or determining if he could have a companion during hospital visits. In the current government, unfortunately, such a liaison does not exist, leading to a lack of responsibility from the ministry and confusion regarding the treatment of those under house arrest. He expressed that after 21 months, it is unacceptable for the security apparatus to still be unable to make correct decisions regarding basic issues related to the house arrests. Regarding his father's health, he mentioned that while his father is better, issues from the past continue, and there have been some medical follow-ups. However, he recounted an incident where his younger brother was not allowed to accompany their father during a medical examination, highlighting ongoing issues that prompted his mother to demand accountability from the security officials.