Well-known Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti has been arrested for supporting the anti-hijab protest in Iran that started in September over the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. Alidoosti was reportedly arrested for voicing her solidarity for the 23-year-old protester who was executed in Iran on December 8.
Alidoosti has been vocal about her support for the anti-hijab protesters. In November, she posted a picture of herself on Instagram without the compulsory hijab as she extended support to the protesters in Iran.
Alidoosti's Instagram handle, which has over 8 million followers, has been suspended too, Jasmin Ramsey, Deputy Director of Centre for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) wrote on Twitter.
Why has Taraneh Alidoosti been arrested?
According to DW, Alidoosti had posted on Instagram a solidarity message with the protesters after a man was allegedly executed for his involvement in the protests.
''His name was Mohsen Shekari. Every international organization who is watching this bloodshed and not taking action is a disgrace to humanity," she had reportedly written in her Instagram post.
Shekari, who was convicted of attacking a security officer with a knife and closing off a street in Tehran, was the first anti-hijab protester to be executed on December 8 as the Iranian regime began cracking down on protesters. On December 12, 23-year-old protester Majidreza Rahnavard was hanged in a public execution.
The Guardian quoted Tehran prosecutor's office alleging that Alidoosti had "failed" to produce documents in support of "provocative remarks". Iranian state media reported that she was arrested for publishing "false and distorted" content to support "anti-Iranian movements."
At least 11 men have been served the death sentence, while 24 others are facing charges that could lead to death sentence in Iran, CHRI said in a statement on December 15. It said that two men, including Shekari, have already been executed.
"Young men in their 20s are being hanged after show trials, and more are being sentenced each day in Iran—the international community must act with the utmost urgency," Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the CHRI said.
Iran has been simmering since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. She was detained allegedly for not wearing her hijab properly. Following her death, people took to the streets in protest. Women on social media and in demonstrations began burning their headscarves and chopping their hair as a mark of protest.
According to AP, around 495 people, including children, have been killed in crackdown on demonstrators, while 18,200 people have been detained by authorities.
Who is Taraneh Alidoosti?
Alidoosti, 38, is among the most influential and popular actresses in Iran. She has acted in award-winning films like Asghar Farhadi's 'About Elly' and 'The Salesman'.
Alidoosti is among several Iranian celebrities who have been arrested in the aftermath of anti-hijab protests. Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi, two famous Iranian actresses, were arrested in November for expressing solidarity with protesters on social media, AP reported. Iranian soccer player Voria Ghafouri was also arrested. All three of the have been released now.
This isn't the first time that Alidoosti has been in trouble for confronting the Iranian government. In June 2020, she was sentenced to a suspended five-month prison term for a 2018 tweet where she had criticised the police for assaulting a woman who had removed her headscarf.