Moussavi, Khatami call on Iran judiciary to stop violence

Moussavi, Khatami call on Iran judiciary to stop violence Tehran - Iranian opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi and former reformist president Mohammad Khatami called on the judiciary chief Wednesday to release all those arrested and imprisoned in the course of the recent protest demonstrations in Tehran.

In a letter to Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi, carried on Moussavi's website, the two condemned the violent confrontation of "people would were protesting peacefully against violation of their rights."

There have been protest rallies and gatherings for the last five days against alleged fraud in the presidential election which led to the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"Such violent approaches are in no way compatible with the Islamic republic criteria and would just lead to more pessimism within the society," the letter said.

At least five protestors were confirmed dead and state media reported seven others killed in the course of the demonstrations.

The two reformist officials also condemned the arrest wave of several reformist officials, including a former government spokesman of Khatami, dissidents, journalists, students and lawyers since the protest wave started on Saturday.

"Such arrests will not solve a thing and just lead to more unrests," the letter said.

Moussavi and Khatami called on the judiciary chief to fulfil his legal and religious duty and, while ordering the release of all political prisoners, put an immediate end to violence and further arrests.(dpa)