'The Salesman' actor Taraneh Alidoosti arrested in Iran after condemning the execution of a protester

Taraneh Alidoosti, one of Iran's most renowned actors, has been arrested for "spreading of lies" regarding the ongoing protest movement in the country, according to state media.

The BBC reported that Alidoosti condemned the country's recent execution of Mohsen Shekarim for his involvement in the demonstrations. The actor made his statements via a now-deleted post on Instagram.

"His name was Mohsen Shekari. Every international organization that observes this bloodshed and does not act is a disgrace to humanity,” Alidoosti wrote. The actor was arrested after being unable to produce "any document consistent with his claims", according to state media. Alidoosti's Instagram account, which had approximately eight million followers, has since been deleted.

Shekari was hanged earlier this month after being accused of blocking a main road in Tehran and wounded a military officer with a machete. Shekari was convicted by a Revolutionary Court of fighting and drawing a weapon "with intent to kill, to sow terror and to disturb the order and security of society". He appealed the verdict, but it was ultimately upheld. The delay between arrest and execution totaled two and a half months - a series of rapid events that alarmed groups like Iran Human Rights and Amnesty International.

Alidoosti has become one of the faces of Iranian cinema. She starred in Asghar Farhadi's 2016 drama "The Salesman," which won the Best International Feature Film Oscar. This year, she was a distinguished guest at the Cannes Film Festival, promoting her new film "Leila's Brothers", directed by Saeed Roustayi.

Iran has been rocked by widespread protests since September, when 22-year-old Masha Amini died while she is in police custody. Amini was detained for not wearing the hijab properly.

Alidoosti is not the first member of the country's film community to be arrested for expressing his solidarity with the protest movement. Two other actresses, Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi, were arrested multiple times in November.

Comments