January 24-2014
Justice Minister Mostafa Pur-Mohammadi says the regime does not want to risk any public disorder by putting the 2009 losing presidential candidates on trial and so just plans to leave them to rot under house arrest.
Pur-Mohammadi said that was the conclusion when they were put under house arrest three years ago and it remains the conclusion today.
President Rohani made clear during his spring campaign that he wanted to see the candidates freed, and many Reformists are irritated that he has not been able to do so. Others have called for the pair to be given the courtesy of a trial. Pur-Mohammadi’s remarks indicated the issue has been discussed and the leadership—meaning Supreme Leader Ali Khamenehi—has decided against either freeing or trying them.
Pur-Mohammadi said it was not in the best interests of the regime to put opposition leaders Mir-Hossain Musavi and Mehdi Karrubi on trial in 2009 because it would have created more upheaval in the country.
The Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) quoted Pur-Mohammadi as saying: “Certain decisions were the outcome of a collective deliberation by the major decision-makers in the system.”
He said, “If there had been a trial, we would have seen further conflicts and protests, and right now the regime has decided that it is best for these individuals to remain under restriction.”
Musavi and his wife, Zahra Rahnavard, have been under house arrest together since February 2011. Karrubi was put under house arrest with his wife at the same time, but his wife has since been freed and he has been moved to another location for confinement.