EA Worldview - The excitement over Wednesday’s release of 16 political prisoners was tempered yesterday, at least by one “senior judicary official” in an interview with Mehr News.
See Iran Special: 16 Political Prisoners Released — More to Come, including Mousavi and Karroubi?
The official countered discussion of more releases by saying that there were no further lists. He also played down Wednesday’s freeing of the 16 as a signficant change in policy, saying that many were reaching the end of their terms and they were still under conditions — effectively meaning they could be summoned back to prison.
See Iran Analysis: How Many Political Prisoners Can Rouhani Free?
This weekend, Alireza Beheshti, the Chief of Staff of 2009 President candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, was released on furlough, as were journalists Ahmad Zeidabadi and Mehdi Mahmoudian.
Beheshti, the son of a famous Ayatollah, was detained in autumn 2009 and sentenced to five years in prison.
See Iran Interview: Mousavi Advisor Beheshti on The Election
Zeidabadi, the Secretary General of Office for Strengthening Unity was arrested in June 2009, just after the disputed Presidential election, and is serving a six-year sentence. Mahmoudian, detained in September 2009, was given a five-year sentence.
