Editing Iranian Green Movement (section)

==Outcome of 2009–2010 Iranian election protests==
{{Main|2009–2010 Iranian election protests}}
'''Background to the protests'''

The office of the President in Iran is considered the second most powerful position in the country, after that of the [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]], as the President is the head of the executive branch of power.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news |date=2021-06-17 |title=Iran: How a unique system runs the country |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-57260831 |access-date=2022-05-10}}</ref> Since 2005, Iran was led by conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who first served as mayor of Tehran before being elected as president.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8051750.stm|title=Guide: How Iran is ruled|website=BBC|date=9 June 2009 }}</ref> Ahmadinejad's name was associated with human rights violations in the country, particularly with the use of violence. The list of these violations included the increased number of death penalties and problems with LGBT rights. According to Human Rights Watch, "basic human rights protection in Iran has deteriorated to new lows" under Ahmadinejad's first presidency as, for example, the number of executions increased by three times.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2008/09/17/un-hold-ahmadinejad-accountable-iran-rights-crisis|title=UN: Hold Ahmadinejad Accountable for Iran Rights Crisis|website=Human Rights Watch|date=17 September 2008 }}</ref> The Iranian president has no power over the judiciary, as it is headed by the chief justice who is in turn appointed by the Supreme Leader.<ref name="auto"/>

During the first presidency of Ahmadinejad, the problem was particularly severe with juvenile death penalty. More than 130 juvenile offenders were sentenced to death in Iran as of 2008.<ref name=":0" /> Moreover, independent researchers pointed out that the number of political prisoners increased during Ahmadinejad's first presidency. Other problems with human rights involved the absence of basic protection of LGBT rights. The number of criminal convictions for homosexual sex increased between 2005 and 2009, while the President even denied the existence of gay people in Iran.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/dec/15/gay-iran-mahmoud-ahmadinejad|title=From discrimination to death – being gay in Iran|last=Whitaker|first=Brian|website=The Guardian|date=15 December 2010 }}</ref>

Issues with human rights and other problems, such as the alleged voting fraud, led Ahmadinejad's popularity to decline. This was especially the case in urban areas, including the country's capital Tehran, and among the youth, according to ''The Guardian''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/iran-blog/2015/jul/20/iran-military-goes-hip-hop-for-youth-appeal-amir-tataloo|title=How Iran is trying to win back the youth|last=Bajoghli|first=Narges|website=The Guardian|date=20 July 2015 }}</ref>

In 2009, the Iranian government held a regular presidential election. Former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi was the most popular candidate opposing Ahmadinejad.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1904194,00.html|title=Iran's Challenger: Mir-Hossein Mousavi|last=Altman|first=Alex|magazine=Time|date=12 June 2009 }}</ref>

The election took place on 12 June 2009 but the disagreement between the government and the opposition over the results of the election quickly caused a significant controversy. Ahmadinejad was considered to be winning in a landslide victory, but Mousavi and his supporters believed the results were fraudulent. They suggested that the Interior Minister Sadegh Mahsouli, an ally of Ahmadinejad, had interfered with the election and distorted the votes to keep Ahmadinejad in power.<ref name="WPDispute">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/12/AR2009061200916_2.html|title=Iran Election in Dispute as 2 Candidates Claim Victory|last=Erdbrink|first=Thomas|date=13 June 2009|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref>

Mousavi claimed the victory and called for his supporters to celebrate it. At the same time, the office of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad almost immediately announced that the sitting president had won the election as he had received approximately two-thirds of votes. It sparked the 2009–2010 Iranian election protests, which were organized mostly by Mousavi's supporters and were directed against Ahmadinejad and the government in general.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/14/iran.protests.twitter/index.html|title=Tear gas and Twitter: Iranians take their protests online|date=15 June 2009|publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/blog/2009/jul/29/iran-election-protest-dead-missing|title=Iran election protests: the dead, jailed and missing|last=Jeffery|first=Simon|date=29 July 2009|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|location=London|access-date=19 December 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/12/07/iran.protest.warnings/index.html#cnnSTCText|title=Iran police clash with protesters|date=7 December 2009|publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

{{blockquote|Previously, he was [[revolutionary]], because everyone inside the system was a revolutionary. But now he's a reformer. Now he knows [[Gandhi]] – before he knew only [[Che Guevara]]. If we gain power through aggression we would have to keep it through aggression. That is why we're having a [[2009–2010 Iranian election protests|green revolution]], defined by peace and democracy.|[[Mohsen Makhmalbaf]], 19 June 2009<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/jun/19/iran-election-mousavi-ahmadinejad I speak for Mousavi. And Iran] by [[Mohsen Makhmalbaf]], ''The Guardian'', 19 June 2009</ref>}}

===Protests===
{{Main|2011 Iranian protests}}
Clashes broke out between police and groups protesting the election results from early morning on Saturday onward. At the beginning, the protests were considered peaceful. However, as time passed, they became increasingly violent. In a stand-off that later took place in north Tehran between supporters of Ahmadinejad and Mousavi, an angry crowd of citizens broke into shops, started fires, and tore down signs.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news | title = Iran election protests turn violent | publisher = CNN | date = 13 June 2009 | url = http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/13/iran.election/index.html | access-date = 13 June 2009}}</ref> Civil unrest took place as riot police on motorbikes used batons to disperse Mousavi supporters who staged a sit-in near the interior ministry, where the results were announced. Up to 2,000 Mousavi supporters erected barricades of burning tyres and chanted "Mousavi take back our vote!".<ref name=surprise>{{cite news|first=Ian|last=Black|newspaper=Guardian|title=Ahmadinejad wins surprise Iran landslide victory|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/13/iran-election-ahmadinejad-wins-president|date=13 June 2009|access-date=15 June 2009 | location=London}}</ref>

The demonstrations grew bigger and more heated than the [[Iran student protests, July 1999|1999 student protests]].<ref name=abc>{{cite news|title=Election Battles Turn Into Street Fights in Iran |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=7830630 |date=13 June 2009 |access-date=13 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616044520/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=7830630 |archive-date=16 June 2009 }}</ref> [[Al Jazeera English]] described the 13 June situation as the "biggest unrest since the 1979 revolution." It also reported that protests seemed spontaneous without any formal organization.<ref name=al>{{cite news|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/06/2009613172130303995.html.|title=Poll results prompt Iran protests|publisher=[[Al Jazeera English]]|access-date=13 June 2009|date=13 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618073345/http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/06/2009613172130303995.html.|archive-date=18 June 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Two hundred people protested outside Iran's embassy in [[London]] on 13 June.<ref>{{cite news |language=fr |publisher=[[Yahoo!|Yahoo! France]] |title=Manifestation devant l'ambassade d'Iran à Londres |url=http://fr.news.yahoo.com/3/20090613/twl-iran-presidentielle-gb-manifestation-ba66223.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604113522/http://fr.news.yahoo.com/3/20090613/twl-iran-presidentielle-gb-manifestation-ba66223.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 June 2011 |access-date=13 June 2009 |date=13 June 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> [[Ynet]] has stated that "tens of thousands" protested on 13 June.<ref name=youth/> Demonstrators are chanting phrases such as "Down with the dictator", "Death to the dictator", and "Give us our votes back".<ref name=youth/><ref name=free>{{cite news|work=BBC News|title=Ahmadinejad defiant on 'free' Iran poll |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8099115.stm|date=13 June 2009|access-date=13 June 2009}}</ref> Mousavi urged for calm and asked that his supporters refrain from acts of violence.<ref name=free/>
[[File:Tehran protest (1).jpg|thumb|left|Protesters in Tehran, 16 June]]
[[Ynet]] reported on 14 June that two people had died in the rioting so far.<ref name=youth>{{cite news|publisher=[[YNET]]|first=Dudi|last=Cohen| date = 14 June 2009| access-date = 14 June 2009|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3730786,00.html|title=Tehran youth: I'll never vote in Iran again}}</ref> That day, protests had been organized in front of the Iranian [[embassies]] in [[Turkey]],<ref name=npr>{{cite news|publisher=[[National Public Radio]] |date=15 June 2009 |access-date=15 June 2009 |title=Protester Killed After Opposition Rally in Iran |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105394655 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618072613/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105394655 |archive-date=18 June 2009 }}</ref> [[Dubai]],<ref name=npr/> [[Paris]],<ref name=BBC090614>{{cite news|publisher=[[BBC Persian]]| date = 14 June 2009| access-date = 17 June 2009|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2009/06/090614_p_ir88_protests.shtml |title=Iranians Protests Across the World (In Persian)}}</ref> [[Berlin]],<ref name=BBC090614/> [[London]],<ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Yahoo!|Yahoo! Canada]] |url=http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090614/world/iran_vote_britain_protest |title=Protesters rally outside Iranian embassy in London |access-date=14 June 2009 |date=14 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629121855/http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090614/world/iran_vote_britain_protest |archive-date=29 June 2009 }}</ref> [[Rome]],<ref name=tgcom>{{cite news|url=http://www.tgcom.mediaset.it/mondo/articoli/articolo452407.shtml|title=Voto Iran, corteo studenti a Roma|language=it|publisher=[[TGCOM]]|access-date=14 June 2009|date=13 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615084314/http://www.tgcom.mediaset.it/mondo/articoli/articolo452407.shtml|archive-date=15 June 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Sydney]],<ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/20/2603808.htm?site=sydney|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100721020007/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/20/2603808.htm?site=sydney|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 July 2010|title=Iranian-Australians protest election result| access-date = 19 June 2009| date = 19 June 2009}}</ref> [[Vienna]]<ref name=BBC090614/> and [[The Hague]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Tweehonderd demonstranten bij ambassade Iran| newspaper=[[NRC Handelsblad]]| access-date=15 June 2009| date=14 June 2009| language=nl| url=http://www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2271183.ece/Tweehonderd_demonstranten_bij_ambassade_Iran| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616073952/http://www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2271183.ece/Tweehonderd_demonstranten_bij_ambassade_Iran| archive-date=16 June 2009| url-status=dead| df=dmy-all}}</ref> In response to the reformist protests, tens of thousands of people rallied in Tehran on 14 June to support the victory of Ahmadinejad.<ref name=join>{{cite news|date=14 June 2009|access-date=14 June 2009|title=Crowds join Ahmadinejad victory rally|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8099501.stm}}</ref>

On 15 June, Mousavi<ref>{{cite web|url=http://twitpic.com/7gt6e |title=Pictures |publisher=Twitpic.com |access-date=20 June 2009}}</ref> rallied, with a number of his supporters ranging anywhere from hundreds of thousands<ref name=huff>
*{{cite news|work=Huffington Post|date=17 June 2009|access-date=17 June 2009|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/13/iran-demonstrations-viole_n_215189.html|first=Nico|last=Pitney|author-link=Nico Pitney|title=Iran Updates (VIDEO): Live-Blogging The Uprising}}
*{{cite news|work=Huffington Post|date=17 June 2009|access-date=17 June 2009|title=Iran Election Live-Blogging (Wednesday June 17)|first=Nico|last=Pitney|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/17/iran-election-live-bloggi_n_216925.html}}
*{{cite news|work=Huffington Post|date=17 June 2009|access-date=17 June 2009|title=Iran Election Live-Blogging (Tuesday June 16)|first=Nico|last=Pitney|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/17/iran-election-live-bloggi_n_216578.html}}
*{{cite news|work=Huffington Post|date=15 June 2009|access-date=16 June 2009|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/15/iran-election-live-bloggi_n_215965.html|first=Nico|last=Pitney|title=Iran Election Live-Blogging (Monday June 15)}}
*{{cite news|work=Huffington Post|date=14 June 2009|access-date=15 June 2009|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/14/iran-election-live-bloggi_n_215449.html|first=Nico|last=Pitney|title=Iran Election Live-Blogging (Sunday June 14)}}
*{{cite news|work=Huffington Post|date=14 June 2009|access-date=14 June 2009|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/14/iran-updates-video-live-b_n_215378.html|first=Nico|last=Pitney|title=Iran Updates (VIDEO): Live-Blogging The Uprising (Saturday, June 13)}}</ref> to three million,<ref name=time/> in Tehran, despite being warned by state officials that any such rally would be illegal. The demonstration, the largest in the Islamic Republic of Iran's 30-year history, was Mousavi's first public appearance after the election. Protests focused around [[Azadi Tower]], around which lines of people stretched for more than nine kilometers. Gunshots were reported to have been fired at the rally, where Mousavi had spoken to his supporters saying, "The vote of the people is more important than Mousavi or any other person."<ref name=npr/><ref name=huff/> All three opposition candidates made an appearance.<ref name=time>{{cite magazine|title=Tehran's Rallying Cry: 'We Are the People of Iran'|date=15 June 2009|magazine=[[Time Magazine]]|access-date=15 June 2009| url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1904764,00.html?xid=rss-topstories| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618140519/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1904764,00.html?xid=rss-topstories| url-status=dead| archive-date=18 June 2009}}</ref>

Competing rallies for Mousavi and for Ahmadinejad took place on 16 June. The pro-Ahmadinejad protesters, chanting the phrases "Death to America!" and "Death to Israel!", outnumbered their opponents, but they did not match the numbers of opponents who had protested the day before. Reports from the state media and elsewhere stated on 16 June that seven people have died in all of the protests so far.<ref name=recount>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/16/iran.elections.protests/index.html|title=Rival demonstrations fill Tehran streets|publisher=CNN|date=16 June 2009|access-date=16 June 2009|author1=Octavia Nasr|author2=Reza Sayah|author3=Samson Desta|archive-date=22 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201122115926/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/16/iran.elections.protests/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-protests17-2009jun17,0,2676845.story|title=In Iran, rival factions rally after days of unrest|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|date=16 June 2009|access-date=16 June 2009 | first1=Borzou | last1=Daragahi | first2=Ramin | last2=Mostaghim}}</ref> However, [[Times Online]] quoted a Rasoul Akram Hospital nurse that day who asserted that 28 people have suffered from "bullet wounds" and eight have died so far.<ref name= timesO>{{cite news|author1=Philippe Naughton|author2=Tony Halpin |title=Ahmadinejad challenger calls off Tehran rally to avert further bloodshed|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6510663.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1|publisher=[[Times Online]]|date=16 June 2009|access-date=16 June 2009 | location=London | work=The Times}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Over half a million reformist Iranians marched silently from Haft-e-Tir Square to Vali Asr Square on 17 June. Huffington Post reported that day that 32 people had died protesting so far.<ref name=huff/>

On 14 February 2011, the largest Green demonstrations in Iran in more than a year broke out. In response, pro-government MPs called for the death of opposition leaders [[Mir Hussein Moussavi]] and [[Mehdi Karroubi]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/world/middleeast/17iran.html?_r=1&hp Students in Iran Clash at Funeral], nyt.com, 16 February 2011</ref>

===Government actions===

====Arrests====
{{See also|Law enforcement in Iran|Human rights in Iran}}
On the weekend of 13 and 14 June, in a series of raids across [[Tehran]], the government arrested over 170 people, according to police officials.<ref name="bbc-170">{{Cite web |date=15 June 2009 |title=Masses mourn protesters in Iran |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8100310.stm |access-date=19 June 2009 |website=BBC News}}</ref> Among them were prominent reformist politicians, including [[Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization]] (MIRO) founder [[Behzad Nabavi]], [[Islamic Iran Participation Front]] (IIPF) leader [[Mohsen Mirdamadi]], and former president [[Mohammad Khatami]]'s brother [[Mohammad-Reza Khatami]], who was later released.<ref name=defeated>{{cite news|title=Defeated Iranian reformist Mir-Hossein Mousavi calls for more protest against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad |author1=Colin Freeman |author2=David Blair|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/5533782/Defeated-Iranian-reformist-Mir-Hossein-Mousavi-calls-for-more-protest-against-Mahmoud-Ahmadinejad.html|date=14 June 2009|access-date=14 June 2009|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] | location=London}}</ref><ref name=detained>{{cite news|author1=Robert F. Worth|author2=Nazila Fathi|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/15/world/middleeast/15iran.html |title=Opposition Members Detained in a Tense Iran|newspaper=The New York Times|date=14 June 2009|access-date=14 June 2009}}</ref><ref name=times-arrests>{{Cite book | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6495691.ece | archive-url=https://archive.today/20110928130845/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6495691.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=28 September 2011 | title=Iran reformists arrested after Tehran riots | publisher=[[Times Online]] | date=14 June 2009 | access-date=16 June 2009 | location=London}}</ref> Also arrested were [[Mostafa Tajzadeh]] and [[Mohsen Aminzadeh]], whom the [[IRNA]] said were involved in orchestrating protests on 13 June.<ref name=times-arrests/> Anonymous sources said that the police stormed the headquarters of the IIPF and arrested a number of people.<ref name=abc/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8099218.stm |title=Iran reformists held after street clashes |work=BBC News |date=14 June 2009}}</ref> Iranian journalist Mashallah Shamsolvaezin claimed that presidential candidate [[Mir-Hossein Mousavi]] was put under house arrest, although officials denied this.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mostaghim |first=Ramin |last2=Daragahi |first2=Borzou |date=15 June 2009 |title=Iran tries to put a lid on election protests |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-election15-2009jun15,3,3696525.story |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624184025/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-election15-2009jun15,3,3696525.story |archive-date=24 June 2009 |access-date=16 June 2009 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> An estimated 200 people were detained after clashes with students at [[Tehran university|Tehran University]], although many were later released.<ref name=guardian-arrests/> [[The Guardian]] actively reported those who died or were detained in a spreadsheet listing 1,259 names as victims of Iran’s crackdown. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Jeffery |first=Simon |date=2009-06-30 |title=Iran's dead and detained UPDATED |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/jan/28/iran-dead-detained-protests-elections-spreadsheet |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

Acting Police Chief [[Ahmad-Reza Radan]] stated via the state press service on the 14th that "in the interrogation of related rebels, we will try to find the link between the plotters and foreign media".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keller |first=Bill |date=16 June 2009 |title=Innocent Googling? No Such Thing in Tehran |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/world/middleeast/17notebook.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115235156/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/world/middleeast/17notebook.html |archive-date=15 November 2012 |access-date=17 June 2009 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> A judiciary spokesman said they had not been arrested but that they were summoned, "warned not to increase tension," and later released.<ref name=regret>{{cite news|title=Ahmadinejad: Anyone who strikes Iran will regret it |url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1092669.html|date=14 June 2009|access-date=14 June 2009|newspaper=[[Haaretz]]}}</ref> Intelligence minister [[Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejehei]] linked some arrests to terrorism supported from outside Iran, stating that "more than 20 explosive consignments were discovered".<ref name=alj-arrests/> Others, he said, were "counter-revolutionary groups" who had "penetrated election headquarters" of the election candidates.<ref name=alj-arrests>{{Cite book| title=Government supporters rally in Iran |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/06/2009616135112133473.html | publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] | date=16 June 2009 | access-date=17 June 2009}}</ref>

On 16 June, Reuters reported that former vice-president [[Mohammad-Ali Abtahi]] and former presidential advisor [[Saeed Hajjarian]] had been arrested.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSDAH619963 | title=Leading Iranian reformist arrested, his office says | publisher=Reuters | date=16 June 2009 | access-date=16 June 2009 }}</ref> Human rights lawyer [[Abdolfattah Soltani]], who had been demanding a recount of all votes, was also arrested on the Tuesday according to [[Shirin Ebadi]], who said that security officials had posed as clients.<ref name="npr-soltani">{{Cite web |last=Memmott |first=Mark |date=16 June 2009 |title=Iran's Human Rights Activists Being Arrested, Nobel Prize Winner Tells NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/06/ebadi.html |access-date=17 June 2009 |website=NPR}}</ref> Over 100 students were arrested after security forces fired tear gas at protesters at [[Shiraz University]] on the same day.<ref name=guardian-arrests/> [[Reporters Without Borders]] reported that 5 of 11 arrested journalists were still detention as of 16 June, and that a further 10 journalists were unaccounted for and may have been arrested.<ref name=guardian-arrests/>

On 17 June, former foreign minister and secretary-general of the [[Freedom Movement of Iran]], [[Ebrahim Yazdi]], was arrested while undergoing tests at Pars hospital in Tehran.<ref name=guardian-arrests/><ref>{{Cite book | title=Relatives: Iranian activist pulled from hospital bed, arrested | url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/17/iran.activist.arrested/index.html | publisher=CNN | author=Ashley Broughton | date=17 June 2009 | access-date=20 June 2009}}</ref> He was held overnight in [[Evin Prison]] before being released and returning to hospital, where according to [[Human Rights Watch]] he remained under guard.<ref>{{Cite book | title=Iran opposition politician Yazdi released - source | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSDAH944421 | publisher=Reuters | date=19 June 2009 | access-date=20 June 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | title=Iran: Halt the Crackdown | url=https://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/06/19/iran-halt-crackdown | publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]] | date=19 June 2009 | access-date=20 June 2009}}</ref> In [[Tabriz]], other Freedom Movement activists and eight members of the IIPF were arrested, with reports of at least 100 civic figures' arrests.<ref name=guardian-arrests/> The total number of arrests across Iran since the election was reported as 500.<ref name=guardian-arrests/>

[[Aaron Rhodes]], a spokesman for the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, stated that "Iranian intelligence and security forces are using the public protests to engage in what appears to be a major purge of reform-oriented individuals whose situations in detention could be life-threatening".<ref name="guardian-arrests">{{Cite web |last=Tait |first=Robert |date=17 June 2009 |title=Iran elections: mass arrests and campus raids as regime hits back |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/17/iran-election-protests-arrests1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906194531/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/17/iran-election-protests-arrests1 |archive-date=6 September 2013 |access-date=18 June 2009 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> In [[Isfahan Province]], prosecutor-general Mohammadreza Habibi warned that dissidents could face execution under Islamic law.<ref name=reuters-habibi>{{Cite book | title=Iran prosecutor warns of death penalty for violence | publisher=Reuters | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/gc08/idUSTRE55H1XM20090618 | date=18 June 2009 | access-date=18 June 2009}}</ref>

In 2011, Mir Hossein Mousavi and his wife and Mehdi Karroubi were placed under house arrest by the government. During his election campaigns in 2013 and 2017, then-presidential candidate [[Hassan Rouhani]] pledged to release them if he were to be elected as president, but the opposition leaders remain under house arrest to this day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Photo of Iran opposition leader Mousavi, wife shared despite ban |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/3/3/photo-of-iran-opposition-leader-mousavi-wife-shared-despite-ban |access-date=2022-05-17 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref>