In the fourth month of social and political protest, the Iranian regime is increasing its arrests. Taraneh Alidoosti, a famous Iranian actress and ardent women’s rights activist, was arrested, as was Mohammad Ali Kamfirouzi, the lawyer for Elaheh Mohammadi, 35, a daily reporter Ham Mihanand Niloofar Hamedi, 30, photographer for the newspaper Sharghdetained since September.
“Taraneh Alidoosti has been arrested for her recent actions in posting false information and content, and for inciting chaos”, announced the Tasnim agency, without specifying the place of his arrest. A figure of Iranian cinema since his adolescence, Taraneh Alidoosti played his most famous role in the film by Asghar Farhadi The customerOscar for best foreign language film in 2017.
“Pay the Price”
She had repeatedly given her support on Instagram to the demonstrations, sparked by the death on September 16 of Mahsa Amini. The 38-year-old actress notably denounced the authorities on December 8 for hanging Mohsen Shekari, executed after being accused of “War Against God”. “Any international organization that watches this bloodbath without reacting is a disgrace to humanity”she wrote on her Instagram page.
In November, she had promised to stay in her country, to “pay the price” it will take to stand up for their 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.
Lawyers and journalists imprisoned
Me Kamfirouzi, who was arrested on Wednesday, “has not received any summons, he is being held without any legal form and the reason for his arrest remains unknown”told the daily Ham Mihan his counsel, Mohammad Ali Bagherpour. According to Ham Mihantwenty-five Iranian lawyers were “arrested across the country” since the start of the protests. On Thursday, Mohammad Kamfirouzi, the lawyer’s brother, announced that he now holds the judiciary for ” responsible “ of his ” life “ and his ” health “.
More than three hundred Iranian journalists and photojournalists in late October criticized the authorities in an open letter for having ” stopped [leurs] colleagues and deprived them of their rights” in particular the“access to their lawyers”. Tuesday, the daily Shargh published a list of nearly forty journalists and photojournalists arrested in Iran in connection with the protest.
In addition, the authorities on Thursday released on bail two minors detained for their alleged involvement in the protest movement, the reform newspaper announced on Saturday. Etemad. Since mid-September, hundreds of people have been killed and thousands arrested, prompting international condemnation, sanctions and Iran’s expulsion on Wednesday from a UN commission on women’s rights. Two 23-year-old men were additionally hanged on December 8 and 12 in connection with the unrest.