As stated by The Hollywood Reporter, Iranian actor Taraneh Alidoosti was arrested by Iranian authorities on Dec. 17. The star was charged with spreading falsehoods related to the nationwide protests that had occurred since Sept. 16, the date when the 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died after being arrested by the morality police, a unit within the Iranian police force. However, THR is now reporting that the star of Asghar Farhadi’s Oscar-winning film, The Salesman, has been released from prison after posting bail. The actor’s mother, Nadereh Hakim Elahi, shared photos of her daughter standing outside Tehran’s Evin Prison after being let go.
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Previously THR reported that The Beautiful City star was detained just a week after she made a post on Instagram that expressed solidarity with the first man executed for crimes supposedly committed during the recent protests. Her post read, “His name was Mohsen Shekari. Every international organization who is watching this bloodshed and not taking action, is a disgrace to humanity.” Alidoosti’s arrest was far from the first celebrity detainment in response to those openly supporting the demonstrations. Other arrests have included football players, actors, and influencers.
The report on the state media’s official Telegram channel claimed that the About Elly star was being held because she had not given “any documents in line with her claims.” The announcement added that other Iranian celebrities were also “summoned by the judiciary body over publishing provocative content,” adding that some of these individuals were charged.
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Taraneh Alidoosti Has Received Plenty of Support From the Entertainment Industry Since Her Arrest
Iranian Independents
Since her Dec. 17 arrest, Alidoosti has received plenty of support from the entertainment industry. Several notable film festivals and film organizations have criticized her detainment, such as the Screen Actors Guild, the European Film Academy, and the Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, and Tribeca film festivals. Even big-name Hollywood stars like Mark Ruffalo, Penélope Cruz, Emma Thompson, Jason Momoa, and Kate Winslet have signed a petition calling for the Iranian actor’s release from prison.
THR noted that Alidoosti was publicly critical of the Iranian government and its police force even before the most recent protests. For example, back in June 2020, she was given a suspended five-month prison sentence for calling out the police on Twitter in 2018 for assaulting a woman that took off her headscarf.
The outlet further stated that the Iranian government had received heavy backlash for its harsh treatment of protestors and anyone who had supported them. The government’s crackdown has included questionable practices like the public execution of some individuals charged with alleged crimes in connection with the demonstrations. Many people consider the current protests to be one of the biggest challenges to Iran’s theocratic rule since the country’s founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979.
