Actor Taraneh Alidoosti from Iran was detained after publicly endorsing the latest round of anti-government demonstrations.
According to a report on the official Telegram channel of Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Alidoosti, one of the nation’s most well-known actors and the star of the Oscar-winning movie The Salesman, was held by security agents and charged with “spreading falsehoods”.
Her arrest happened a week after she wrote on Instagram about Mohsen Shekari, who was put to death by the Iranian government after being convicted of moharebeh, a Farsi term that roughly translates to “enmity against God” and refers to inciting public unrest by endangering people’s lives or property with a weapon.
Alidoosti criticised “international organization[s]” in her post for their silence following Shekari’s passing.
She stated, “His name was Mohsen Shekari. Every international organisation that observes the slaughter and does nothing to stop it is an embarrassment to humanity.
According to the IRNA, Alidoosti was detained because she was unable to produce “any documentation in support of her assertions.”
Additionally suspended was her Instagram account, which has more than 8 million followers.
To show her support for the anti-government protesters, the star previously shared a photo of herself sans a headscarf while holding a banner that read “woman, life, freedom” in Kurdish, which has since become a catchphrase.
Since Mahsa Amini, 22, died in police prison after being detained by the state’s so-called morality police for allegedly donning a “improper” style of hijab while visiting Tehran in September, Iranians have been protesting against the government.
Following Amini’s passing, widespread protests broke out around the nation, and numerous women were seen cutting their hair and burning their hijabs. This was the largest show of opposition to the Iranian government in recent memory.
According to the Human Rights Activists’ News Agency, more than 18,200 protestors are believed to have been imprisoned around the nation, and at least 495 protesters are believed to have died.
Majidreza Rahnavard, who was also found guilty of moharebeh for allegedly killing two Basij Resistance Force members, was executed by Iranian officials last week.
Rahnavard was put to death 23 days after his arrest, and his family did not learn of the execution until after it had taken place.
According to Amnesty International, 11 people have already received death sentences for taking part in the demonstrations, and at least nine more people are now on execution row.
One of them is the football player Amir Nasr-Azadani, who was detained in September and accused with moharabeh for allegedly taking part in a “armed riot.”
The reports that he would be executed “after battling for women’s rights and basic freedom in his country” horrified and sickened the international players organisation FifPro, it was stated last week.