Iranian Actress Taraneh Alidoosti Detained Following Criticism of Regime

Taraneh Alidoosti, one of Iran’s most renowned actresses, has been detained by security forces days after criticizing the government’s use of the death penalty against protestors.

The 38-year-old had also shared a photo of herself on Instagram in which she was not wearing the hijab and clutching a piece of paper saying “women, life, freedom” – the slogan that has come to embody the struggle for social change in Iran.

Alidoosti is recognized as one of the most influential Iranian actors of her generation, and her detention is a hint that the government intends to crack down on celebrities, artists, and athletes who have used their position to oppose the system.

Alidoosti has won several honors throughout her career, most notably an Oscar for best foreign film in 2016 for The Salesman, in which she featured.

It is unknown which division of Iran’s many security services removed her from her home, but the Tehran prosecutor’s office claimed Alidoosti had failed to present documents to explain her controversial statements. Samia Mirshamsi, a film director, delivered the news of her incarceration.

Mirshamsi stated that Alidoosti’s residence had been searched and that her whereabouts were unknown. Later, the judiciary news agency Mizan verified Alidoosti’s detention and stated that her case is undergoing additional investigation.

According to the Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, she was arrested for publishing false and twisted information that incited riots and encouraged anti-Iranian groups.