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(28 August 2011) Iranian Opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi is in grave danger of physical and psychological harm, as news of his complete isolation for the past 42 days emerged today, said the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. The Campaign called for his immediate release.

A credible source from inside Iran has told the Campaign that “Karroubi is surrounded by a team of psychiatrists working with his captors to force his mental state into agreeing to appear in front of cameras and make televised ‘confessions.’”

“We are extremely concerned for the health and well-being of Karroubi, who is 74 years old, and no one has heard from him for six weeks, not his wife, any family or associates,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the Campaign’s spokesperson.

Karroubi’s wife today said her husband was separated and moved to a new, tiny apartment on 1 August 2011 and that there has been no communication from him since 16 July 2011. Her interview was published on Karroubi’s official website Sahamnews.

The source close to Iranian officials, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Campaign that a team of psychiatrists has joined Karroubi’s captors to manipulate and force him to make televised confessions. Iranian intelligence agents have a long history of using such tactics against prominent opposition figures, documented by the Campaign in its recent report, A Brief History of “House Arrests” and Detentions in “Safe Houses”: What W... >>>