Response of the Children of Karroubi, Mousavi, and Rahnavard to Shamkhani's Remarks: House Arrest Continues

Hours after Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated that the leaders of the 2009 election protestors are not under house arrest and that the use of this term is incorrect, the children of Mehdi Karroubi, Mir Hossein Mousavi, and Zahra Rahnavard announced that they are still under house arrest. According to reports, Shamkhani said on Tuesday, November 9, that the leaders of the protestors are not under house arrest because they can see anyone they wish. In response to these remarks, Hossein Karroubi, Mehdi Karroubi's son, told the 'Emtidad' website: 'I am sorry for Mr. Rouhani that his security secretary explains house arrest in this way,' adding, 'Mr. Shamkhani has denied the existence of house arrest in his statements. This statement of his is also based on a meeting of one of the central members of the National Trust Party with Mr. Karroubi.' Hossein Karroubi also expressed regret for Ali Shamkhani, stating that instead of saying what has been done in the past five years to lift the house arrest, he is trying to sweep the issue under the rug. He emphasized that the security forces selected the person who met with Mr. Karroubi, and that Mr. Karroubi has not said who should visit him. He added, 'It is not appropriate, ethical, or good to say that there is no house arrest after seven years, especially since the spokesperson for the judiciary has also spoken about house arrest multiple times.' Previously, on October 27, Hossein Karroubi announced that the Supreme National Security Council had 'approved' that some individuals could meet with his father, and based on this resolution, Mr. Doosti met with his father. He further stated that Ali Shamkhani told some members of the 'House Arrest Follow-up Committee' in the Hope faction of the parliament that 'we want to bring some friends to Mr. Karroubi and Mousavi.' Hossein Karroubi also mentioned that the Supreme National Security Council has 'approved that gradually a series of individuals can meet with Mr. Karroubi and Mr. Mousavi.' Additionally, Narges Mousavi, one of the daughters of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard, wrote on Twitter that they 'are still under house arrest and are deprived of seeing their relatives and friends as before.' Zahra Mousavi, another daughter of Mr. Mousavi and Ms. Rahnavard, also tweeted: 'When it comes to the occasional will of the jailer even for close family, the situation for distant family and politicians is clear.' Previously, the daughters of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard had criticized officials for 'shirking' their responsibility to pursue the issue of their parents' house arrest, stating that 'the gradual death of the detainees has become the wish and plan of some.' Meanwhile, Morteza Sadeghi, a leftist political activist residing in the Netherlands, commented on Ali Shamkhani's remarks to Radio Farda: 'It seems that the thirsty for power and wealth in the Islamic Republic system are gradually realizing that to maintain their position and interests, they must even interpret words according to the meanings at the top of the system.' He pointed out: 'In many instances, there was optimism that Ali Shamkhani, due to his background and unblemished services to the Islamic Republic and his loyalty to Mr. Khamenei, would have the courage to enter the discussion of house arrest and possibly prepare conditions for its end. However, in a situation where the detainees are not even allowed to choose the time of their visits to doctors, and there has been no change in the timing of family visits, and Ms. Rahnavard and Messrs. Mousavi and Karroubi do not have access to internet phones, we suddenly face a denial of the entire house arrest based on Mr. Doosti's visit with Mr. Karroubi. It is really impossible to say anything other than the historical phrase of Engineer Mousavi who said: we are faced with people who look you in the eye and lie.' Messrs. Mousavi and Karroubi, along with Zahra Rahnavard, have been under house arrest since February 2011 without trial. Their requests for a public trial have not been accepted, and military and clerical supporters of the Supreme Leader have threatened them with heavy sentences, including execution. In this context, Shamkhani stated that the use of the term house arrest is incorrect. The first meeting of Karroubi with a political activist after seven years of house arrest. The daughters of Mousavi and Rahnavard wrote a letter to 'religious authorities' regarding the situation of their parents. The son of Mehdi Karroubi insisted on holding a trial. Najat: The verdict for Mousavi and Karroubi will be execution or life imprisonment. Motahari on the house arrest of Green Movement leaders: The leader's opinion may have changed.