Tehran, July 07:Iran’s opposition called for an immediate release of all prisoners detained after the June 12 presidential election, the website of losing candidate Mir-Hossein Moussavi said Tuesday.
In a meeting Monday between Moussavi, ex-president Mohammad Khatami and former parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi, the three main opposition leaders agreed to pressure the government to release the prisoners.
Hundreds of dissidents, journalists, demonstrators and even former parliament deputies and cabinet members including Khatami’s former deputy Mohammad-Ali Abtahi were arrested during the protests against alleged election fraud.
The government claims that most of the detainees, including the officials, confessed to trying to weaken and even topple the Islamic establishment.
“Forceful confessions are illegal, un-Islamic and inhumane but unfortunately some Friday prayer leaders who should safeguard Islamic values are even proud of such confessions,” the website quoted a statement by the three opposition leaders.
They referred to clerics who publicly called for some of the demonstrators to be punished harshly.
Among the detainees are an Iranian political analyst with the British embassy in Tehran and a French female student, both charged with offences against national security.
The detainees are reportedly to face prosecution in revolutionary courts on espionage charges.
“This severe security approach should end, and military and security forces should return to their bases, as continuation of this approach would just lead to radicalization of political moves,” the three leaders said.
The Iranian opposition does not acknowledge the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and demands annulment the June 12 polls in favour of new elections.
The constitutional watchdog Guardian Council last week approved the election results and Ahmadinejad’s re-election, and rejected any further challenges by Moussavi and other opposition figures.
Moussavi does not acknowledge the Guardian Council as an impartial body, due to its support for the president, and rejected overtures to attend the election review process.
The opposition leader has called on his supporters to continue their protests but to avoid violating any laws.
According to official statistics, 20 demonstrators and eight Basij militiamen were killed in the post-election unrest. Hundreds of others, including police, were injured.
—Agencies