Fatemeh Karroubi denounces arrest conditions of Iranian opposition leader Mahdi Karroubi

Source: Radio Zamaneh

Fatemeh Karroubi is slamming the incarceration of her husband, opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, in a letter to the Islamic Republic judiciary.

Mehdi and Fatemeh Karroubi

The Saham News website has published the critical letter addressed to the head of Iran's judiciary and written by Fatemeh Karroubi, the wife of opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, who has been under "house arrest" since last February. Together with the other opposition leader, MirHosein Mousavi, Karroubi rallied protesters to demonstrate in support of the recent Arab uprisings in the region.

In retaliation, Iranian security forces put Mehdi Karroubi and Fatemeh Karroubi under house arrest in their apartment complex. They were cut off from the outside world and denied any visitors, and security forces were deployed in their apartment.

Mousavi and his wife, Zahra Rahnavard, were also put under house arrest in their home.

A few weeks ago, Mehdi Karroubi was transferred to a small apartment, where there was no room to accommodate his wife.

Fatemeh Karroubi writes that the former regime treated political prisoners more humanely than the Islamic Republic does. She writes that the former regime never raided people's private homes without a warrant and, when people were put under house arrest, security forces were not deployed inside the home.

Fatemeh Karroubi goes on to write that her husband is being held under conditions that are even worse than those faced by a prisoner in solitary confinement. She adds that Karroubi is denied basic prisoner rights, with no access to books, newspapers, regular visits or even fresh air.

Fatemeh Karroubi writes that because their house arrest had forced the other residents of the apartment complex out of their homes, the Karroubis had asked the authorities to move them to another location. Fatemeh Karroubi writes that her husband had challenged the takeover of the complex and told authorities that he was ready to be moved to any other location, even the notorious Evin Prison.

She adds that her family prepared a house in the northern part of Tehran, but the authorities claimed that the location did not meet with their approval.

The authorities have said that the family must rent another location if it wishes to move Mehdi Karroubi to a larger place.

Fatemeh Karroubi notes that the authorities are burdening the family with all the costs of the prison and the guards, just so they can "tell the world that Karroubi is under arrest in his own home."

The wife of the opposition leader emphasizes that despite all pressures, her husband stands firm in his political stance with the "very fervour that he began his political activities with in 1961."

... Payvand News - 09/23/11 ... --