Iran is facing a series of calls from celebrities and human rights groups on Sunday for the release of actress and activist Taraneh Alidoosti, the most famous figure arrested in connection with the protest movement that has rocked the country for three years. month.
Figure of Iranian cinema, Taraneh Alidoosti, 38, was arrested on Saturday for publications in support of the protests, denouncing in particular the execution of demonstrators or in which we see her removing her veil.
The protest in Iran was sparked by the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who died after being arrested in Tehran by morality police, who accused her of breaking the dress code of the Islamic Republic, strict for women.
Hundreds of people have since been killed, thousands arrested and two 23 men hanged in connection with the unrest.
Several Iranian personalities have also been arrested, including actors, but Taraneh Alidoosti enjoys international fame for having starred in award-winning films by director Asghar Farhadi, including “The Client”, Oscar for best foreign language film in 2017.
An actress since her teenage years, she also starred in Saeed Roustayi’s film “Leïla et ses frères”, presented this year at the Cannes Film Festival.
“The brave actress from Iran has been arrested,” wrote her colleague Golshifteh Farahani, who began her career in Iran before fleeing, on Instagram.
“This photo was taken in July 2008 just before I left Iran for good,” she added, under a photo of the two actresses, accompanied by the hashtag “Free Taraneh Alidoosti”.
“Taraneh Alidoosti is one of Iran’s most talented and recognized actresses,” wrote Cameron Bailey, director of the Toronto Film Festival in Canada. I hope she will be released soon to continue to represent the strength of Iranian cinema”.
“Terrifies”
Iranian justice said on Saturday that “celebrities” had been arrested “following baseless comments on recent events and the publication of provocative material supporting street riots”.
“Taraneh Alidoosti who did not provide documents to support some of his allegations” is among those arrested, said the law enforcement agency, Mizan Online.
Last month, two other actresses who expressed their solidarity with the protest movement and removed their veils in public were arrested, Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi. They have since been released on bail.
“Women are being arrested and imprisoned in Iran for refusing to wear the compulsory hijab, including famous actresses like Taraneh Alidoosti. The power of women’s voices terrifies the leaders of the Islamic Republic,” said the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), based in New York.
The actress had notably denounced on December 8 the hanging of Mohsen Shekari.
“Any international organization that watches this bloodbath without reacting is a disgrace to humanity,” she wrote on her Instagram page, followed by more than eight million people and which was no longer accessible on Sunday.
In November, she promised to stay in her country, to “pay the price” it would take to defend her rights and to stop working to support the families of those killed or arrested during the protests.
Several Iranian cinema personalities were worried or arrested by the authorities even before the current wave of protest, such as directors Mohammad Rasoulof and Jafar Panahi, who are still in detention.