Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard have once again been rendered incommunicado for the past two weeks.

After their last visit with their family during Persian New Year [Norooz] that lasted only a few hours and with the exception of two brief telephone conversations, the family has had no news of them what so ever. For the past two weeks they not only have been banned from any telephone conversations with their daughters,  but the authorities have also refused to provide any information regarding their well being.  In a recent telephone conversation with Rahnavard’s ailing mother, Mousavi and Rahnavard reportedly explained that they are no longer allowed to call their daughters.

The recent rumors and irresponsible innuendos by media outlets associated with the security apparatus in Iran regarding Mir Hossein Mousavi’s physical well being,  has increased the family’s concerns ; this despite the fact that Mousavi and Rahnavard both confirmed that they are in good health during their last brief visit with the family during Norooz. The security agents in charge of Mousavi and Rahnavard’s house arrest are currently the only source of information regarding their condition. Nonetheless, they have refused to provide any information on the companions of the Green movement to date.

Under Iran’s legal system and international law and in accordance with human principles and ethics, even those who have committed a crime have the right to regular telephone conversations and visitations. Although neither Mousavii nor karroubi  have committed any crimes except to express responsibility towards the issues facing our nation and vow to stand with the nation, they nevertheless remain under house arrest and no one has accepted responsibility for their continued illegal detention.  The restrictions imposed upon them are unprecedented. They have been stripped of all their legal rights and their family members have been subjected to psychological harassment.

The heavily secured and narrow deadend Akhtar street where Mousavi and Rahnavard are reportedly being held is now fortified with a variety of newly installed security measures including tall doors and iron fences, blocking it from site.  The Mousavi residence is in the vicinity of the security bases of the IRGC. It goes without saying that given the location of the Mousavi residence this level of isolation is alarming at best. (The photo below provides an overview of the two buildings. Mousavi’s residence and the IRGC building have been marked in green and red)

Although Mousavi and Rahnavard have been under house arrest for 14 months, it has been months since any lights have been seen turned on or any sounds heard from their building and their family members have been kept in the dark regarding their condition for long periods at a time, leading to even more concern.

As a result of the lack of communication over the past two weeks and mounting concerns, a number of Mousavi and Rahnavard’s family members recently went to Akhtar street with the hope to obtain any information regarding their status.  However, like all other prior occasions when arriving at Akhtar street they were told by the prison guards watching the area that no one lives there. The guards event went as far as saying: ” Go visit the place where Mousavi is rumored to be kept. This is not Mosuavi’s residence.”

This is not the first time that the security personnel in front of Mousavi’s residence have behaved in such an irresponsible manner.  They continue to occupy Mousavi’s  residence despite the fact that a legal case has not been filed against him.  It goes without saying that Mousavi’s children and family members like any other citizen have the right to want to see their incarcerated loved ones and to find out about their well being. The concerns of the family members will naturally only subside if they are granted face to face visitation with Mousavi and Rahnavard in the absence of security agents – a request that unfortunately has not been met to date.
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Source: Kaleme http://www.kaleme.com/1391/02/04/klm-99018/