Justice Minister: The Government and Judiciary Cannot Decide on House Arrest

Mostafa Pour Mohammadi, the Minister of Justice, stated on Tuesday, December 25, that the National Security Council is the decision-making body regarding the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, and that the government and judiciary cannot pursue this matter alone. According to ILNA news agency, the Minister of Justice also mentioned that he has no special responsibility regarding the house arrest and that this issue has not been raised within the government to the extent that we would want to express an opinion as a government. Pour Mohammadi pointed out that the government has not been involved in the decisions of the National Security Council, adding that the government is considered a partner in the decision-making of this body. He added, 'Mr. Rouhani may have pursued this matter, but I do not know where those pursuits have reached. Perhaps he has also been involved in the National Security Council, but there has been no internal governmental pursuit.' According to the state news agency IRNA, the Minister of Justice on December 12 considered the lifting of the house arrest of the leaders of the protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election to be outside the 'decision-making position' of Hassan Rouhani's government, while also stating that the government has decided to actively engage in other areas where it has a share. Additionally, Ali Younesi, a senior assistant to the Iranian President on ethnic and minority affairs, previously stated that Hassan Rouhani's government has no authority regarding the lifting of the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, but 'if the atmosphere becomes normal and calm, it may be able to fulfill its promise in this regard.' Mr. Mousavi, Mr. Karroubi, and Ms. Rahnavard have been under house arrest without trial since February 2011. In the past year, some political parties and figures in Iran have sent letters to Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, requesting follow-up on the lifting of their house arrest. In this context, Hassan Rouhani, on December 16, in response to student chants during Student Day for the lifting of the house arrest of the leaders of the protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election, said, 'Our path and our course are the same as we promised you from the very beginning. Our covenant with you is unbreakable.' During Rouhani's speech at Iran University of Medical Sciences, some students chanted, 'Our message is clear; the house arrest must end,' demanding the lifting of the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and Zahra Rahnavard. Previously, Fatemeh Karroubi, the wife of Mehdi Karroubi, stated on October 1, 'It seems that the house arrest and illegal imprisonments are not a priority for government friends.' Also, Ali Motahari, a representative from Tehran in the parliament, on October 15, wrote a letter to Mr. Rouhani urging him, as President and head of the National Security Council of Iran, to take action to lift the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi. Mr. Motahari stated that if Mr. Rouhani 'neglects' this matter, it will be pursued 'in the form of a question' from the President in parliament. This parliament representative also mentioned on Tuesday, December 24, in a speech at Yazd University, referring to some who say that the leaders of the protests against the 2009 election results must repent and express regret, said, 'When we do not allow them to speak, how can they come to repent?' In this regard, a letter from seven former parliament representatives regarding the continuation of the house arrest of Mousavi and Karroubi, a message from Karroubi to Motahari: 'Be sure to pursue holding a public trial,' a representative of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic considered Mousavi and Karroubi as 'criminals,' Motahari to Jannati: 'Why are you afraid of the trial of Mousavi and Karroubi?' Mohammad Khatami called for the end of the house arrest of Mousavi and Karroubi.