Tehran Prosecutor: Indictment Issued for Rouhani's Advisor Due to Comments on House Arrest

About 40 days after the comments made by Hesamoddin Ashna, advisor to the Iranian president, stating that 'only a shell remains' of the house arrest of the leaders of the Green Movement, the Tehran prosecutor announced that an indictment has been issued against the speaker of these remarks and the case has been sent to court. According to ISNA news agency, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi emphasized on Tuesday, January 22, that 'the house arrest remains and its shell has not broken.' He stated that news related to house arrest must be 'confirmed by the Secretariat of the National Security Council' and officials should 'comment according to their position and responsibility.' He reiterated that 'the house arrest remains and its shell has not broken,' adding, 'Whenever this shell breaks, it will be announced by the relevant authorities.' Hesamoddin Ashna, advisor to Hassan Rouhani, had said on Sunday, December 9, in a speech: 'The conditions of house arrest have changed; what should have happened by the government and the president as the head of the Supreme National Security Council has occurred.' He referred to 'some facilitations and openings' regarding the conditions of house arrest, adding that 'only a shell remains until the house arrest is lifted.' However, Mir Mahmoud Mousavi, brother of Mir Hossein Mousavi, considered Ashna's comments as 'pouring salt on wounds' and stated that 'only a shell has changed' and 'the essence and core of the house arrest remains firmly in place.' Reports have emerged in recent months regarding the lifting of some restrictions on Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and Zahra Rahnavard. Incidents include family visits with Mehdi Karroubi during Nowruz, 'opening the welded windows' of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard's home, and allowing them to meet with their children and Mousavi's brother. Ismail Doosti, a member of the National Trust Party, and Mojtaba Zolnouri, a representative from the Front of Steadfastness in the parliament, have also visited Mehdi Karroubi at his house arrest location. Zahra Rahnavard reported in May that she had recently been verbally offered 'limited mobility rights' with the knowledge of the agents, which she rejected. Previously, some other political figures, including Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri, had stated that lifting the house arrest is only possible with the approval of the Supreme Leader. Meanwhile, Ali Motahari, the deputy speaker of parliament, stated on Tuesday, December 20, that 'the only legal way' to lift the house arrest is for the Assembly of Experts to 'talk to the Supreme Leader' or 'ask him questions and discuss to resolve the issue.'