After 14 years of house arrest for protesting the presidential election results, Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi is set to be released. According to reports from state and semi-state media, Karroubi (87) will be freed on Monday. His son, Hossein Karroubi, mentioned that his father’s political ally and former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi (83) would also be released from house arrest in the coming months.
In the 2009 election, Karroubi and Mousavi ran on a reformist platform, but the hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner amid allegations of election fraud. The resulting protests were met with harsh repression, and Karroubi and Mousavi were detained in 2011 without facing trial or public charges.
Hossein Karroubi reported that security officials informed his father that the order to lift his house arrest had come from the head of the judiciary. Security personnel will remain at the Karroubi household until April 8 for safety concerns.
While Karroubi has been released, there is no information regarding Mousavi’s release at this time. Current Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had pledged during his election campaign to free the two politicians.