Iran denies opposition leaders are in prison

The families of two leading opposition leaders in Iran say the two men and their wives have been jailed; judiciary officials deny they are being detained. According to their websites, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi were taken into custody along with their wives on Monday. Officials say they are not in prison, but restricted to their homes.

AFP/Atta Kenare

Iran’s prosecutor general Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie told the ISNA news agency that the two men have not been imprisoned, blaming “hostile media” for spreading false news.

Mousavi’s daughters, quoted on his Kaleme.com, repeated on Tuesday that their parents were being held in Teheran’s Heshmatueyh prison. Karroubi’s Sahamnews.org reported that his daughter-in-law had gone to visit him, but “no one showed up at the door”.

The two men, leaders of Iran’s Green Revolution in 2009, were put under house arrest after their supporters staged protests last weekend.

On Monday night the Fars news agency cited an unnamed judiciary official denying the claims.

"They are currently in their homes and are faced only with restrictions to contact suspect elements," said the official.

Supporters planned to hold more demonstrations for their release later on Tuesday, according to opposition websites, but Mohseni Ejeie warned that the gatherings would be illegal gatherings and would not be tolerated.