Ayatollah Ali Mohammad Dastgheib, a senior Iranian cleric and a chief critic of the Islamic Republic’s recent domestic policies, has called on the establishment to end the house arrest of Mehdi Karroubi and MirHosein Mousavi, the two opposition leaders who have been detained since last February.
Ayatollah Dastgheib’s website, Hadis-e Sarv, published his statement calling for the release of the opposition leaders and other political prisoners.
Ayatollah Dastgheib has repeatedly criticized the government crackdown on the opposition over the past two years. His criticisms have led to attacks on his office and the Qoba Mosque, where he regularly leads prayers.
The two opposition leaders were put under house arrest last February, along with their respective wives, after they rallied people to demonstrate in support of the Arab uprisings in the region. The demonstrations were met with force by the authorities, resulting in several deaths and widespread arrests.
Dastgheib recently wrote a critical letter to the Guardian Council, saying that “the Islamic Republic’s problems are all due to the violations committed by their council” and maintained that “according to the constitution, releasing Karroubi and Mousavi and other prisoners” is the only acceptable path for the regime.
