CNN
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A prominent Iranian actress has been arrested days after she criticized the execution of a man involved in nationwide protests that have swept the country since September.
Tarane Alidoshi, who starred in the 2016 Oscar-winning film “The Salesman,” condemned the hanging of Mohsen Shekhari, who was killed this month in the first known execution linked to the protests. Shekari was reportedly convicted of “warring against God” for stabbing a member of the Basij paramilitary force at a protest in Tehran on September 23.
State media outlet Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, said Alidosti was detained because of a “lack of evidence for her claims”.
Alidosti, a so-called feminist activist, posted a picture of herself on Instagram last month without the Islamic hijab and holding a sign reading “Women, Life, Freedom” to show support for the protest movement.
After Shekhari’s execution, she said in another post: “Your silence supports tyranny and tyrants,” adding, “Every international organization that is watching this bloodshed and not taking action is an affront to humanity.”
Her Instagram account has since been deleted.
A second execution was carried out on December 12, a few days after Shekari’s execution. Majidreza Rahnavard was hanged in the northeastern city of Mashhad after being accused of killing two paramilitary officers.
“Some celebrities make claims without evidence and publish provocations and thus they are arrested,” Far News Agency said in its report on Alidosti.
A local rights group, the Committee to Counter Violence in Iranian Cinema, said on Twitter that it was unclear which government department had taken Alidoshi into custody.
Alidoosti, who has appeared in various popular Iranian TV shows, is known for her activism in the Metoo movement in Iran’s film industry.
Last month, he denied reports that he had left Iran, writing that he planned to stay in the country and stop working.
“I stand by the families of the prisoners and those killed and demand justice for them. I will fight for my home and I will pay any cost to stand up for my rights,” he wrote.
Several Iranians were sentenced to death during the nationwide protests, which were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the state’s morality police on charges of improperly wearing her hijab.
Her death struck a nerve in the Islamic Republic, with prominent public figures supporting the movement. Protests have since brought together a range of grievances with authoritarian rule.
According to Amnesty International, as of November, Iranian authorities sought the death penalty for at least 21 people in connection with the protests.
At least 458 people have died in the unrest since September, according to Norway-based Iran Human Rights.
CNN cannot independently verify the number of people facing the death penalty in Iran, or the latest arrest statistics or death tolls related to the protests, as exact figures are impossible for anyone outside the Iranian government to confirm.
