Sun 18 December 2022:
A few days after she criticized the government’s use of the death penalty on protesters, Taraneh Alidoosti, one of Iran’s most well-known actors, was detained by security forces in Tehran.
She had earlier shared a photo of herself on her Instagram profile in which she was not wearing the hijab and was holding a piece of paper with the words “women, life, freedom,” which have come to symbolize the campaign against the present Iranian government.
Alidoosti is considered as one of the most famous Iranian actors of her generation, and her detention indicates that the government is preparing to take action against athletes, entertainers, and other public figures who have used their platforms to criticize the government.
The report by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said, several other Iranian celebrities had ″been summoned by the judiciary body over publishing provocative content″.
It did not say how many or provide further details.
According to the report published on the state media’s official Telegram channel, Alidoosti was arrested because she did not provide “any documents in line with her claims”.
In her post, the 38-year-old actress said, ”His name was Mohsen Shekari. Every international organisation who is watching this bloodshed and not taking action, is a disgrace to humanity.”
IRAN CARRIES OUT SECOND EXECUTION OVER ONGOING ANTI-REGIME PROTESTS
Shekari was executed December 9 after being charged by an Iranian court with blocking a street in Tehran and attacking a member of the country’s security forces with a machete.
Samia Mirshamsi, a film director.said Alidoosti’s home had been searched and it was not known where she was. Later, the judicial news agency Mizan confirmed Alidoosti’s arrest, saying her case was being investigated further.
Alidoosti has won multiple awards in her career, most notably when The Salesman, in which she starred, won an Oscar for best foreign film in 2016.
Alidoosti’s father, Hamid Alidoosti, played football for Iran’s national team and was the first Iranian to play for a foreign team.
She had vowed not to leave Iran, writing: “I do not have a passport or residence anywhere except Iran. I’ll stay and look you straight in the eyes like all these normal people when I scream for my rights.
“I’ve inherited this courage from the women of my land, who for years have been living their lives, every day with resistance … I will stay, I will not quit, I will stand with the families of the prisoners and murdered and demand their rights. I will fight for my home, I will pay whatever it takes to stand up for my rights, and most importantly: I believe in what we are building together today.”
Alidoosti has previously criticised the Iranian government and its police force.
Other movies Alidoosti has stared in include, The Beautiful City, and, About Elly.
Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi, two other famous actresses in Iran, were arrested by authorities for expressing solidarity with protesters on social media. Both have been released.
According to the latest report of the Iranian Human Rights Organization, which was published on Saturday, at least 469 people, including 63 children and 32 women, have been killed by the security and law enforcement forces of the Islamic Republic since the beginning of nationwide protests.
Iran has been rocked by protests since the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after being jailed by the morality police. The protests have since morphed into one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s governmental system, created after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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