Taraneh Alidoosti (centre),with Payman Maadi and Saeed Poursamimi,arrive at the premiere of the film ‘Leila’s Brothers’ at the 75th international film festival in Cannes on May 25,2022.Credit:AP
Alidoosti,38,was arrested in connection with what state news media described as “unsubstantiated comments about recent events” and “the publication of provocative material”.
It is one of the highest-profile detentions Iranian authorities have made in their effort to crack down on a women-led uprising that started in September.The protests were set off by the death of a 22-year-old woman,Mahsa Amini, while in the custody of the morality police on allegations that she had violated mandatory hijab rules. Iran has faced international condemnation for its violent response to the demonstrations.
In recent weeks,Alidoosti,whose credits include the Academy Award winnerThe Salesman,drew attention after posting a photo of herself without a hijab while holding a sign signalling her support for protesters who have been calling for an end to authoritarian clerical rule in Iran.
This month,after the Iranian government announced that it had hanged Mohsen Shekari,a 23-year-old prisoner who had been arrested in the protests that have engulfed the country,Alidoosti urged people to speak out.
“Your silence means supporting oppression and oppressors,” she wrote.
Taraneh Alidoosti poses for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Leila’s Brothers’ in Cannes in May.Credit:AP
As of Sunday,Alidoosti’s Instagram account appeared to have been removed from the platform,and her Twitter account appeared to be suspended. Her recent posts were no longer viewable.
In a brief Telegram post announcing Alidoosti’s arrest,the state news agency,the Islamic Republic News Agency,said Alidoosti “did not provide documentation” for some of what it described as her “claims”. She had been arrested “by order of the judicial authority”,according to the Telegram post.