Daughters of Iranian Opposition Leader Arrested

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Iranian security forces arrested two of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi‘s daughters and the son of fellow opposition figure Mehdi Karoubi after raiding their homes. Police confiscated items from the homes, detained them for questioning, and later released them. The state-linked Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) said Mousavi’s daughters were not arrested but were simply brought in to give “explanations” to prosecutors. The subject of the questioning has not been released but it may be connected to the women’s complaint last month about their restricted access to their parents.

Mousavi and Karoubi ran as reform candidates in the 2009 presidential election and became prominent leaders of the Green Movement after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad‘s victory. Both leaders, as well as Mousavi’s wife, were placed under house arrest two years ago. Their arrest will prevent them from competing in the upcoming presidential election. Without the participation of reformist candidates, June’s election is likely to be a contest between hardliners.